


It's Fate, Kiddo

by CrowleyLovesUSUK



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awesome Gabriel (Supernatural), BAMF!Gabriel, Bachelor Party, Barebacking, Bottom Gabriel/Top Sam Winchester, Dean is kind of a dick too, Dirty Talk, Exes, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Family Issues, Gabe and Sam Can't Keep Their Hands Off Each Other, Gabriel Being Gabriel (Supernatural), Gabriel Uses His Words, Humor, Indecisive Sam, John and Mary are terrible, Laser Tag, M/M, Minor description of injury, Protective Gabriel, Romance, Rough Sex, Sam/Past Relationships, Semi-Public Sex, Sharing a Bed, So Many Exes, Switch Gabriel, Switch Sam Winchester, This is the opposite of Slow Burn kiddos, Top Gabriel/Bottom Sam Winchester, Unrealistically Fast Relationship, Weddings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-22
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2019-11-27 21:31:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 72,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18199571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrowleyLovesUSUK/pseuds/CrowleyLovesUSUK
Summary: When Sam Winchester’s brother, Dean, asks him to be his Best Man, Sam finds himself flying back home to Kansas for the wedding, despite his reservations.  A chance encounter at the airport--involving a spilled cup of coffee--throws Sam into the path of outgoing travel writer, Gabriel Novak.  When the two men find themselves as seat mates on the flight, the simmering heat between them ramps up.  A quickie in the airport bathroom after they land has Sam walking on air when he meets up with his slightly estranged brother.  He is surprised, however, to discover that not only is Dean marrying a man—but that his fiancé, Cas, happens to also be Gabriel’s little brother.When Sam’s accommodations fall through, and there is no vacancy at the hotel, Gabriel graciously offers to share his room.  Between wedding drama, family issues, trying to keep their budding romance from their brothers, as well as just about every ex in Sam’s past crawling out of the woodwork, the two men find that their only respite is when they are alone together in their room.  Sam certainly hadn’t expected anyone like Gabriel to come into his life, but after a weekend to remember, he isn’t ready to let the other man go.





	1. Fuck, I'm Sorry

**Author's Note:**

> This is a work of fiction. I do not own Supernatural or any of it's characters.
> 
> This is primarily a Sabriel story with Destiel as a secondary (non-explicit) relationship. Obviously Destiel is around since it's Dean and Castiel's wedding, but This Is Sabriel Focused.
> 
> Some Warnings:  
> *There will be language and explicit sex.  
> *John and Mary are alive--and they're not totally awesome parents. They are not abusive or homophobic. They just tend to favor Dean more and it's a bit obvious that they have a 'favorite kid.'  
> *There are MANY mentions of Sam and his past relationships. Some of them are flat out said to be of a sexual nature (ie-one night stands, etc). And some of his past sexual exploits will be brought up in conversation. I am NOT listing all of the PAST pairings out in advance, in order to leave a bit of a surprise as we go along. (Hint--If Sam hooked up with them on the show and they pop up, they're probably one of his exes. HOWEVER--there are a few exes in this story that are not canon relationships of Sam's). If you don't think you can handle mentions of Sam's exes then this is NOT the story for you.  
> *There WILL be laser tag.
> 
> This story has not been finished just yet. I have a few chapters that are done and waiting, and a vague idea what is going to happen--but it's not done. Which is unlike me. I got excited and decided to post this, going against all of my natural instincts. So lets all cross our fingers and ask Chuck to keep me motivated so that I don't get distracted by something sparkly and wander off from this for years...Super!
> 
> If I think of other notes that need to be said up front, then I'll edit this bitch. Have fun, be safe and I hope you enjoy!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Sam meets Gabe, coffee is spilled, shirts are ruined, sparks fly, and some unsavory things happen in the men's room of the Kansas City International Airport. It's gotta be Fate!

 

Sam Winchester had successfully avoided going home for almost six years.  He always had the proper excuses about school and exams when he was in university.  After he was hired on to a successful firm in Los Angeles, he had the built-in excuse of a ‘case that just came up.’ And no one really seemed to question him.  It wasn’t that he didn’t like his family—he loved them. But sometimes it was just a little overwhelming for extended periods of time. 

 

Unfortunately, he couldn’t avoid it any longer.  His older brother, Dean, was getting married to some girl named Cassandra or something—he wasn’t sure, he’d never met her.  Dean always called her ‘Cas.’ Somehow, one night, during a drunken FaceTime call, Sam had agreed to be Dean’s Best Man. Which was how he found himself getting into an Uber at five in the morning that Wednesday and heading to LAX.

 

Sam dragged himself through security and made his way toward his departure gate.  He saw a small shop selling coffee, and he figured that a cup would be a good idea considering the early time.  He fidgeted on his feet as he waited in line. Once at the counter, he placed a simple order and only had to wait a few moments before a steaming mug of life-giving brew was placed into his large hands.

 

He turned and started to walk through the crowds of people in the airport.  He spotted the number for his gate and headed toward it briskly. As he lifted the cup of coffee to his lips, something slammed into his chest, bumping the hot liquid all over his face and shoulders.  “Shit!” Sam yelled as the coffee burned through his shirt, leaving large wet stains. He glanced down and saw a short man staring up at him in horror. 

 

“I am  _ so  _ fucking sorry!” the man said, his eyes wide.  

 

He had slightly long blonde hair, slicked back behind his ears and a lollipop was poking out of the corner of his mouth.  Sam noted vaguely that the guy just barely came up to his shoulder and he had to bite his own lip at the thought of how turned on he was.  Sam had always been a sucker for shorter people. “I was on my phone and I wasn’t paying attention. Fuck! Are you okay?” The man looked genuinely concerned.

 

Sam blinked down at the other man in silence, his mouth slightly open.  He wasn’t quite sure if his inability to speak was due to the steaming coffee dripping off of him, or the fact that this man was incredibly attractive.  After a minute he cleared his throat. “It’s fine,” he said.

 

“No, it isn’t,” the guy insisted.  “I should have been watching where I was going, but I found the perfect gift for my brother, and I was trying to order it and make sure it arrived by tomorrow and…look—I’m  _ really _ fucking sorry.”  The guy was speaking in rapid-fire sentences and Sam was having trouble following his babble.  “Let me buy you another coffee. Please? I insist.”

 

“Um, okay,” Sam nodded.  He motioned with the empty cup toward the restrooms.  “I’m going to go try and clean up a bit, okay?”

 

“Yeah,” the man nodded.  “I’ll be in line,” he pointed toward the coffee place that Sam had just left.

 

Sam entered the men’s room and grabbed as many paper towels as he could, wetting them under the automatic sink.  He dabbed at the stain, but deep down, he knew that it probably wasn’t going to come out. This wasn’t exactly the right impression that he wanted to make on his family after so long, especially since this Cas, (or whatever), was going to be meeting him at the airport with Dean.  After making the best attempt he could, Sam gave up and left, heading back toward the small coffee shop.

 

The shorter man who had bumped into him was just giving his order when Sam slid up next to him at the counter.  “Oh hey,” the guy said. “Just in time.”

 

Sam placed his request and watched as the other man handed over his card to pay.  When the barista gave Sam his new coffee, he took a quick sip and nodded. “Thank you,” he said to the other man.

 

“No problem,” the guy said easily.  “I owed you. That was absolutely my fault.  Again, I’m really sorry.”

 

“It’s fine, um…” Sam trailed off, hoping for the man’s name.  “I’m Sam,” he finally said.

 

“Gabriel,” the shorter guy smiled up at him.

 

The two of them began to walk off toward Sam’s gate, just heading in the same direction for the moment.  Sam found that he really didn’t want Gabriel to leave. He hadn’t been so viscerally and immediately attracted to someone in such a long time that it almost felt strange.  “What were you buying for your brother?” he finally asked, simply as a way to keep Gabriel from leaving for his own flight.

 

“Huh?” Gabriel said.

 

Sam gestured toward Gabriel’s phone.  “You said you were distracted buying a gift for your brother.”

 

“Oh yeah!” Gabriel grinned up at him mischievously.  “I couldn’t resist,” he said. He flipped his phone around so that Sam could see the screen.  It was an order for a ‘life-sized chocolate penis.’

 

Sam blinked.  “Wow,” he wasn’t really sure what else to say to that image.

 

Gabriel looked at the picture himself for a moment before sliding his phone back into his pocket.  “Yeah,” he laughed. “He’ll die. My bro is a little…reserved. So he’ll absolutely freak out when he sees this.  I’m hoping for tears, but I’m not expecting them.”

 

“So, you’re just torturing him for your own amusement?” Sam grinned.

 

“Of course,” Gabriel said.  “What else are big brothers good for?”

 

“I understand  _ that _ all right,” Sam grumbled.

 

“Awe,” Gabriel said, giving him a nudge in the arm.  “You’re a little brother, aren’t you? That’s cute.”

 

“I’m not cute,” Sam said warningly, despite the fact that he was still smiling.

 

“You’re right,” Gabriel agreed.  “I would go with ‘dangerously sexy.’”

 

Sam could feel the heat rising in his face and averted his gaze.  When he finally glanced back, 

Gabriel was still looking at him intently.  “You’re a flirt,” Sam observed.

 

“I am aware of that, kiddo,” Gabriel grinned at him.

 

They had reached Sam’s gate, the large lighted sign proclaiming service to Kansas City, Missouri.  It was the closest large airport to Sam’s hometown of Lawrence, Kansas. Sam found a few empty seats in the waiting area and sank down into one, surprised when Gabriel sat down next to him.  “Are you lost?”

 

“No,” Gabriel said.  “This is my gate.”

 

“You’re kidding?”

 

“Nope.”

 

“You’re going to Missouri?” Sam asked.

 

“Technically, I’m going to Kansas, but I’m flying  _ into _ Missouri,” Gabriel smiled at him.

 

“What for?” Sam was curious.

 

Gabriel shrugged, reaching into his pocket for some candy, peeling the wrappers off impatiently.  “A wedding.”

 

“Me too,” Sam said.  “My brother’s. I’m the Best Man.”

 

“I’m the Best Man too,” Gabriel chuckled.  “It’s my baby bro’s wedding. He asked me to stand up with him and I couldn’t say no.”

 

“Yeah, me either,” Sam laughed.  “It’s hard to politely decline that invitation.”

 

“Don’t I know it,” Gabriel crunched down on the candy he was eating.

 

“Weddings aren’t really your thing?” Sam asked.

 

“Hell no,” Gabriel replied.  “ _ If,  _ and that’s a  _ big  _ if—I would ever head down that road—I’m all about eloping in Vegas, and  _ not _ dealing with my family.”

 

Sam nodded.  “I feel the same way,” he admitted.  “My ex-girlfriend was always talking about weddings.  We weren’t even engaged, and she would still buy all those bridal magazines.  It drove me nuts and kind of soured me to the whole thing. It was just creepy, you know?”  He paused. He never spoke about Jess to anyone. “Especially after she ran off with my roommate.”

 

“Ouch,” Gabriel glanced sharply at him.  “That’s incredibly shitty. And it’s also a major downer for me.”

 

“For you?” Sam scrunched his nose.  “Why is that?”

 

“You’re straight,” Gabriel came right out with it.  “A guy like me doesn’t stand a chance.”

 

Sam regarded the shorter man for a moment, watching Gabriel unwrap another candy without looking back at him.  “I’m not  _ exactly _ straight,” he said slowly after a while.

 

Gabriel’s head swiveled and he looked up at Sam.  “How  _ not _ straight? Like, ‘it happened in a dream once,’ or…something more?”

 

“The roommate that my ex-girlfriend ran off with?” Sam watched as Gabriel nodded.  “ _ He _ was an ex- _ boyfriend _ .  I’m bisexual.”

 

Gabriel beamed at him.  “It’s always nice to meet a fellow bi,” he said finally.

 

“You too?”

 

“Yup,” Gabriel said.  “I think my parents were trying to collect all the sexualities like Pokémon.  I’m bi, my little brother—the one getting married—is gay. With my two older brothers, one identifies as pansexual while the oldest of all us is ‘full-on’ straight.  And my sister is ace.”

 

“That’s a lot of siblings,” Sam observed.

 

“Yeah,” Gabriel agreed.  “What about you?”

 

“Just the one brother,” Sam told him.

 

“And he’s older than you,” Gabriel grinned again.  “I remember—you were all sensitive about being the baby of the family.”

 

“I’m not sensitive,” Sam sputtered.

 

“I don’t mind Samsquatch,” Gabriel smiled.  “You’re cute when your face gets all scrunchy.”

 

Sam rolled his eyes.  He was about to say something when the intercom crackled to life announcing that their flight would be boarding momentarily.  “Well,” Gabriel said, standing up and grabbing his carry-on bag. “I guess this is goodbye.”

 

“I guess,” Sam said, ignoring the feeling of disappointment in his stomach.  “It was nice to meet you Gabriel.”

 

“You too, kiddo,” Gabe smiled at him once more and went to stand in line to board the plane.  He had priority boarding and Sam didn’t, so the taller man remained seated until his group was called up to the gate.

 

Sam smiled at the attendant as she scanned his ticket.  He was grateful that he had at least splurged on a First Class seat, despite the cost.  He was just too tall for Coach. Sam walked down the jet bridge and entered the plane. He was one of the last people to board.  The First Class section only had eight seats in it, two rows of two, and he was listed as being in the first seat to the right. Sam ducked his head to enter the plane and immediately turned to glance down at his seat.  The space next to him was occupied by none other than Gabriel, who was busy looking out of the window. Sam moved toward the large seat and set his bag down in it. The motion grabbed Gabriel’s attention and he looked up.  When he saw Sam, Gabriel’s face split into a huge smile. “Hey there, stranger,” he said happily.

 

“Hi.  We meet again,” Sam chuckled.  He stowed his bag in the overhead compartment and sat down next to his new friend.  “Well, this is a coincidence,” Sam said, turning toward the shorter man.

 

Gabriel shook his head.  “No such thing as coincidences,” Gabriel insisted.  “Obviously this is fate, kiddo.”

 

“Really?” Sam said, playing along.

 

“Oh yeah,” Gabriel was looking at him in mock-seriousness.  “We are obviously destined to join the Mile-High Club together.”

 

Sam laughed out loud, drawing some curious glances from a few other passengers.  “I don’t think I’m going to be able to fit into that tiny bathroom,” he told Gabriel.

 

“Oh, ye of little faith,” Gabriel teased him.  “I’m sure I could come up with a sufficient reward to get you to stuff your giant self in there.”  He winked at Sam.

 

They fell into conversation as the plane’s engine kicked in and they pulled away from the gate.  Gabriel was a travel writer, and while he was based in Los Angeles, he spent about six months of the year travelling.  Sometimes abroad, which made Sam a little jealous. Gabriel gave Sam an impressed look when Sam mentioned the law firm that he worked for.  “My brother is a lawyer too—I know how hard it is to pass the bar.” Gabriel winked saucily at him. “So you’re a giant genius as well as being handsome,” Gabriel commented.  “Nice. I wouldn’t be opposed to a trophy boyfriend, you know,” he leered at Sam, hinting. “Everyone would be jealous of me, with your brains  _ and  _ beauty.”

 

Just about everything that came out of Gabriel’s mouth was either lewd, funny, flirtatious or all three; and Sam found himself loving it.  Takeoff was smooth and neither man really even noticed that they were in the air until a flight attendant asked them what they would like to drink.  Both men ordered a cocktail and fell back into conversation immediately.

 

As the liquor began to work its way through Sam’s system, he found himself staring more openly at his companion.  Without meaning to, when Gabriel paused to take a drink, Sam blurted out, “Your eyes are just…wow! Gorgeous.”

 

Gabriel choked on his drink and glanced up at Sam.  “Thanks?” he sounded incredibly unsure. For a man who could dish out the compliments like breathing, he sure had trouble taking them for himself.  Sam found that almost endearing.

 

“I’m sorry,” Sam shook his head.  “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

 

Gabriel leveled him with a look that spoke volumes.  “You didn’t,” he finally said. Gabriel took another slow sip of his drink before twisting in his seat to face Sam, lowering his voice.  “Okay, kiddo,” he said. “You think  _ I’m _ hot, and I think  _ you’re  _ hot.  So,” he smirked.  “Let’s say that this plane was a little more private.”  Sam gulped and nodded. “Hit me with a fantasy,” Gabe grinned.  “What would you want to get up to with me? Right here, right now.”

 

Sam let out a breath that he hadn’t realized he had been holding and blinked.  He glanced around them, but the other passengers of First Class weren’t paying them any attention.  Sam licked his lips and leaned in. “I think I’d want you on your knees,” he said. “Right here, sucking me off.”

 

Gabriel’s smile was slow and wicked.  “Oh, Sam,” he looked up through his lashes.  “You have no  _ idea  _ how much you’re tempting me.”

 

“What about you?” Sam’s voice was husky.

 

“Oh kiddo,” Gabriel said.  “I don’t think there is enough room on this plane to get you into the position  _ I’m _ dreaming of.”

 

“It’s like that, is it?” Sam laughed.

 

“I would pound you until you couldn’t walk for a month,” Gabriel smirked at him viciously.  “And that’s a promise.”

 

Sam didn’t want to admit how much he desired that.  He felt himself get slightly stiff below the belt and shifted in his seat.  For the rest of the flight, the two of them compared dirty suggestions that became progressively more pornographic in their detail.  By the time the pilot announced that they were about to land, Sam was sporting an impressive boner, and doing his best to not draw attention to it.  Gabriel noticed, and Sam was pretty sure the flight crew had as well. He found that he didn’t really care all that much.

 

As they landed, and began to pull up to the gate, Sam pulled his phone out and handed it to Gabriel.  “Give me your number,” he requested. “Maybe we can meet up again sometime when you’re in L.A. for a while.”

 

They exchanged phones, and Sam watched as Gabriel entered a few numbers into a new contact and handed it back to him.  “Good luck figuring out which one is me,” Gabriel smiled wickedly.

 

“What did you put it under?” Sam asked, scrolling through his contacts trying to find one that he didn’t recognize.  He couldn’t find anything on a quick glance, and he looked up at Gabriel.

 

“My last name,” Gabriel said happily.

 

“Yeah, we never actually got to that part, did we?” Sam said.

 

Gabriel waved his hand uncaringly.  “Another time,” he said. “For now, you can just be the insanely hot guy I met on a plane.  And the next time we meet, we’ll do the whole twenty-questions bullshit.”

 

“I’m okay with that,” Sam said.

 

When they were clear to leave, Sam grabbed both his and Gabriel’s bag from the compartment and the two of them headed out into the airport together, still flirting.  They were nearing the baggage claim when suddenly Gabriel stopped abruptly in the middle of telling Sam how good his ass looked, and glanced up at the taller man. “What?” Sam said with concern.

 

“If you knew me better, you’d know that I’m pretty impulsive, and usually have terrible ideas,” Gabriel muttered.

 

“Okay?” Sam raised his eyebrow.

 

“Well, this one takes the cake,” Gabriel reached out and latched his hand around Sam’s arm, pulling him toward the nearest restroom.

 

Sam was starting to realize what was happening and although he agreed that this was a  _ terrible  _ idea, he found himself following with no resistance.  There were a few people in the bathroom, but no one was really paying anything much attention.  Gabriel pushed Sam into the last stall on the end and discreetly slid in after him, locking the door behind them.

 

Sliding his arms around Sam’s neck, Gabriel went up on his toes and pulled him down for a searing kiss.  Sam melted into the touch, responding as fiercely as he could. He was still hard from their lusty conversation on the flight, and he pushed his hips into Gabriel desperately.  The shorter man gasped at the feeling and moved one of his hands down to cup Sam through his jeans.

 

“You’re right,” Sam whispered into Gabriel’s mouth.  “This is a bad idea.”

 

“No shit,” Gabriel said, his fingers playing with Sam’s zipper.  “But it takes a while for the bags to be unloaded, so we have a little time.  Besides,” Gabriel kissed him roughly. “I really want you right now. You got me kind of worked up here.”

 

Sam grunted as his jeans were opened and worked down his hips just a little.  Before he could say anything, Gabriel nipped at Sam’s lower lip and then he was gone.  Sam opened his eyes and gulped as he saw Gabriel kneeling on the filthy tile of the airport bathroom, gently pulling Sam’s cock out of his briefs.  “Hello, big boy,” Gabriel gave him a quick look, wiggling his eyebrows. There wasn’t even a moment for Sam to protest before Gabriel swallowed him down fully.

 

Gasping, Sam unconsciously pushed his hips forward and gripped his fingers into Gabriel’s light hair, clenching his fists.  “Gabe,” he moaned. “Oh fuck, yes.”

 

Gabriel didn’t respond.  His mouth was too full of hard cock, so he hummed and licked down over Sam which was just pure torture for the taller man.  He shifted on his knees and licked the slit over Sam’s tip before swallowing him down again. After a moment, he popped off and looked up at Sam with lidded eyes.  “You’re a fucking mouthful, kiddo.”

 

Sam whimpered at the loss of friction and Gabriel took pity on him, sucking him down again.  Sam’s hands fisted tightly into Gabe’s hair and he began to rock his hips, fucking Gabriel’s hot mouth.  Sam could feel the pressure building up and he knew that he wasn’t going to last very long. It was almost embarrassing.  Here he was, in an airport’s public restroom, getting sucked off by a man he just met, and he was about to blow his load faster than when he was sixteen.

 

Gabe groaned around him and Sam thrust his hips deeper.  It was as though Gabriel had absolutely no gag reflex at all.  “Gabe, I’m—“ he choked.

 

In response, Gabriel tightened his grip on Sam’s hip, urging him to relentlessly fuck his mouth.  Sam couldn’t resist that. He lost himself in the feeling of Gabriel’s lips wrapped around him, teasing and playing with him in a way that Sam had never imagined even in his wildest fantasies.  With a shout, he came, filling Gabe’s mouth with warm cum. Without flinching, Gabriel swallowed, pulling another load from Sam’s overstimulated dick.

 

Sam’s head fell back against the metal of the stall and he was struggling to catch his breath.  As though he was perfectly fine, Gabriel pulled himself up and had Sam’s cock tucked away and his pants zipped up before Sam had even finished coming down from his orgasm.  With his mouth open and his breaths coming in gasps, Sam looked down at his partner. Gabriel was smirking at him. He watched as Gabe reached up and brushed the back of his hand over his mouth, wiping away some of Sam’s jizz that was caught on his lips.

 

“Wow,” was all Sam could manage.

 

Gabriel laughed.  Loud enough that anyone would be able to hear and tell there were two people in the stall.  Sam didn’t care in the least. He had just had the best blow job of his life and all he wanted to do now was take a nap, preferably with this crazily attractive man that he had just met.  “This is where we really do say ‘goodbye,’” Gabriel said. “For now. I have every intention of calling you the next time I’m home.”

 

“Great,” Sam said, his brain having to work overtime just to figure out what Gabe was saying.  “Nice to meet you.”

 

“You too, kiddo.”  Gabe gave him a light slap on his hip which made Sam’s hips buck again.

Before he could respond, the stall door was open and Gabriel was over by the sinks, rummaging around in his carry-on bag that had been slung over his shoulder since they departed the plane.  

 

He watched Gabe pull out a toothbrush and some paste.  He wanted to say something, but everything that ran through his mind sounded awful.  For lack of something to do, Sam pulled out his phone and checked the time. Shit. Dean would definitely be wondering where he was by now. 

 

Sam looked up and his eyes met Gabriel’s in the bathroom mirror.  He felt the blush spread over his face as their eyes locked and Gabriel made some distinctly pornographic motions with his toothbrush, while grinning around the hygiene products in his mouth.  Swallowing and not saying a word, Sam turned and rushed out of the restroom.

 

The baggage claim was only a single turn and about fifty feet from the bathroom where he and Gabriel had just had their fun.  He could see that most of the people from his flight were gone by now. Only a few suitcases were circling on the belt. It wasn’t hard to spot his brother, standing by the revolving bags and tapping his foot impatiently.  Dean had already pulled Sam’s suitcase off of the belt and leaned it against his leg. Sam hitched his bag over his shoulder and headed toward Dean.

 

“Hey,” he said as he walked up and caught Dean’s eye.

 

“Bitch, where have you been?” Dean growled at him, but he was smiling.

 

“None of your business, Jerk,” Sam said, pulling his brother into a tight hug.

 

They were still hugging when Sam noticed a rather attractive man with dark hair, wearing a trench coat, standing just behind them and staring openly.  Slightly unnerved, Sam pulled away from his brother and watched as the creepy hot guy took a few steps toward them. “Um, hi?” Sam said uncertainly. “Can I help you?”

 

“I don’t mean to intrude,” the man said, shooting Dean a look.  “But we parked in the forty-five minute garage and if we aren’t gone in the next ten minutes, they  _ will  _ charge us for another hour.”

 

“Yeah, okay,” Dean said easily, sliding his arm around the man’s shoulders.

 

Sam blinked once before narrowing his gaze and flicking his eyes between his brother and this stranger.  “Dean?” he finally said.

 

“Sammy,” Dean grinned proudly.  He looked like a kindergartner presenting their first crayon drawing to a parent.  “This is Cas.” Sam blinked again. “My fiancé,” Dean said slowly. “You know that I’m getting married, right?  How much did you drink on the plane?”

 

After almost a full minute of silence, Sam finally managed to speak.  “What?”

 

“It’s good to meet you, Sam,” Cas said stiffly, extending his hand.

 

Sam shook the other man’s hand without even really thinking.  “You’re a dude?”

 

Cas looked at the ground uncomfortably while Dean rolled his eyes.  “You said you were going to speak with him,” Cas said quietly to Dean.

 

“Well, I forgot,” Dean replied.  He looked up at his little brother.  “Yeah Sammy,” Dean said firmly in a tone that didn’t allow for any argument.  “Castiel is a dude and we,” he pointed at the both of them, “are getting married on Saturday.  Do we have a problem?”

 

“No!” Sam almost shouted.  “I just thought, you know, you said ‘Cas,’” Sam shrugged awkwardly.  “I assumed it was a chick named Cassandra or something. You never actually specified that you were marrying a man.”

 

“So you don’t care?”

 

“Not at all,” Sam insisted.

 

“Good,” Dean smiled.  “Because it would be a little hypocritical if you liked playing with dicks but you didn’t want me to, you know?”

 

“Jeez, Dean,” Sam groaned.  He glanced around trying to think of something to say.  “So, I guess we should go,” he finally spoke. “You said you didn’t want to pay for another hour of parking,” Sam said to Cas.

 

“Just a minute,” Dean told him.

 

“I don’t know where he is,” Cas said gruffly to Dean.  “He’s not responding to my texts.”

 

“Who?” Sam asked curiously.

 

“My brother,” Castiel looked up at him.  “He’s going to be my Best Man, so the two of you will be standing up together at the wedding.  I believe he was on your flight, coincidentally.”

 

Warning bells began to go off in Sam’s mind.  Same flight, both of them were going to a wedding and acting as Best Man for their brothers—no way.  He didn’t have to wait long before Cas pointed behind him and said, “There he is.”

 

Sam didn’t turn around, but he felt the sharp slap to his ass as Gabriel sidled up next to him grinning.  He could see Dean narrow his eyes at Gabriel. “Hey kiddo,” Gabe leered at him for a moment before turning toward Castiel and pulling him into a tight hug.  “Baby bro!” he practically shouted. “I never thought I’d see the day that you’d find someone to marry  _ your  _ boring ass.  Congrats!”

 

“You’re too kind, as always, Gabriel,” Cas said with a sigh.

 

“Wait,” Dean was now looking at Sam with suspicion.  “Do you two know each other?”

 

“We met on the plane,” Gabriel shrugged.  He gave Sam a subtle wink.

 

“Okay,” Dean said slowly.  “I guess that saves us all of the awkward introductions then.”  He turned to Cas with a tender look. “You’re right, we should go.”  Looking up at Sam, Dean tried to grab his suitcase before Sam snatched it away.  “Follow us,” Dean said. He linked his hand with Cas’ and the two of them walked toward the exit.

 

“Fancy meeting you here, Samshine,” Gabriel said with a laugh as they followed their brothers out of the airport.

 

“Are you kidding me?” Sam hissed at Gabe.  “Your brother is  _ marrying  _ my brother!  And we just…we…you know—that—and this is  _ bad _ !”

 

“Relax,” Gabriel was still smiling, but his tone was soothing as he placed his free hand on Sam’s forearm.  “I told you. This is fate, kiddo. Just go with it.”

 

Sam tried to take Gabe’s advice, but he couldn’t seem to calm down.  He had a feeling that this was going to be a weekend that he was  _ never  _ going to forget.


	2. No Vacancy...Anywhere

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which we meet John and Mary, Sam has some issues at the hotel, and Gabriel is a slightly dickish knight in shining armor. 
> 
>  
> 
> In light of the news that we, the fandom, all received yesterday (March 22, 2019), I want to give a big SPN Family hug to all of you. I know that the show would eventually end, and I'm glad that the showrunners seem to be planning on giving us the ending that the Winchester's deserve--but I was sort of hoping the end wouldn't be so soon. I'm sure that some of you feel the same. The only thing that has been running through my head over the last day as I sob is a quote from paranoid tech genius, Frank Devereaux: "Decide to be fine until the end of the week. Make yourself smile, because you're alive and that's your job. Then do it again the next week. I call it being a professional. Do it right, with a smile, or don't do it." So I'm going to keep smiling, every week, and enjoy the time we have left. This family is just that--a Family! And I think that our Family will endure, long after the last episode. #SPNFamily #FandomHug

He could practically  _ feel  _ the tension rolling off of Sam, and Gabriel didn’t like it one bit.  Since everyone in their group was at least six feet tall, except for him—as usual—Gabriel was hurrying to keep up as the four of them exited the airport and wandered out into the parking garage attached to the building.  It only took a few minutes before Dean and Cassie began to slow down. 

 

Gabriel didn’t need to be told, it was painfully obvious that they were headed for the cherry condition Chevy Impala parked far away from any other vehicles.  “Didn’t want to risk someone hitting you?” Sam said sarcastically to his brother as they stopped by the trunk of the gorgeous car.

 

“Shut up,” Dean grumbled, but he didn’t deny it.

 

They hefted their suitcases into the trunk and as Dean slammed it down, Castiel turned to Sam and said, “I know that you used to ride shotgun with Dean when you were young.  I would be more than willing to sit in the back with Gabriel.”

 

Sam hesitated and Gabe waited to see what he would say.  He held back a smile as Sam glanced over at him and subtly ran his eyes over Gabriel’s body.  “Um,” Sam said. “You know what? It’s fine. You should sit up front with Dean. You know, it’s your wedding week and all that.”

 

Dean was staring at his brother with his brows furrowed in confusion.  There was no denying that as the tallest of them all, Sam would have been much more comfortable in the front seat.  Gabe felt a little shiver run down his back as he realized that Sam might actually be giving up some comfort to spend time being closer to  _ him. _

 

“Are you sure?” Dean looked skeptical.

 

“Yeah,” Sam nodded.  “It’s fine.”

 

Gabriel watched as Dean shook his head and gave up.  The four of them climbed into the classic car, buckling in.  The engine rumbled to life and Gabriel could feel it in his bones.  They were mostly silent as Dean backed out and maneuvered out of the parking garage.  Once they had paid their fee for using the lot, the conversation finally began. Dean filled his brother in a little on what things were like at home but Gabriel couldn’t really tell how close Sam was with his parents from the vague updates.

 

After a few miles, Sam shifted in his seat, poking randomly at his phone.  He was studiously avoiding Gabriel because wherever their eyes met, Gabe made sure to do something suggestive with his tongue or his eyebrows.  Sam was so cute when he blushed. It really was adorable.

“So, Cas?” Sam said suddenly.  “What’s your last name?”

 

“Well,” Castiel’s voice was serious.  “Right now, it’s ‘Novak.’ But on Saturday, it will be ‘Winchester.’”

 

Gabe didn’t miss the sappy look that Dean shot at his fiancée and he rolled his eyes as discreetly as possible.  He could see Sam playing with his phone next to him. Suddenly Sam looked up at him smirking. He held out his phone to show a contact in his device listed as ‘Novak’  “Found you,” Sam mouthed at him. 

 

Gabriel winked at him cheekily.  “So, you’re gonna change your last name, Cassie?” he said, trying to make sure that their brothers didn’t notice him making eyes at Sam.

 

“Yes,” Castiel’s tone was firm.  “I do love my family, but I feel so comfortable with the Winchesters.”  His voice trailed off and Gabriel felt a sharp pain in his heart. Things hadn’t always been easy for his baby brother. 

 

When Gabriel had come out, no one had really cared.  His parents and siblings had always written him off as a screw-up that they would most likely disown eventually.  But Cas had always been one of their golden children. So had Luci, come to that. Castiel had come out as gay first, and had practically been thrown from the house at the age of fourteen.

 

If Gabriel and Lucifer hadn’t stepped in, there was no telling what their father would have done.  Things had been somewhat easier when Lucifer had used the argument that  _ he _ identified as Pan, which shut their parents right up.  Luci had always been the favorite, and it was  _ painfully _ obvious.  If Lucifer had an ‘alternative sexuality’ then it ‘couldn’t be that bad,’ according to their parents. 

 

However, Gabe and Cas would always be floating around on the outside due to mostly disinterest and disappointment.  Anna had waited until college to say anything, and by  _ that _ point the Novaks really didn’t care anymore.  Their father made no qualms about how ‘only Michael was a good child.’  Gabe and Luci laughed it off, but it hurt Anna and Castiel deeply.

 

“Are they coming?” Gabriel asked in an uncharacteristically serious tone.  He saw Cas shoot a look at Dean.

 

“No,” his brother finally said, sounding numb.  “Michael and his family will be there. Anna and Lucifer as well.  And of course you. Mother and father were…busy.”

 

“They’re taking a cruise,” Dean spat as he pulled onto the highway.  “They booked it  _ after  _ they got the invitation.”  He sounded disgusted and Gabriel couldn’t blame him.

 

“They’re shit people,” was all he said.  The silence in the car was heavy. Finally Gabriel sighed and said, “I’m glad you’re becoming a Winchester, Cas.”

 

“I am too,” Castiel said softly.

 

A little over forty-five minutes later, they were turning onto a tree-lined street in the heart of Lawrence, Kansas.  The majority of the wedding party, including Gabriel, were staying at a nearby hotel; however, Cas and Dean had wanted to introduce their parents as soon as possible.  The Winchester’s childhood home would be their first stop. Unfortunately, about twenty minutes into the trip, Sam had reached over and began running his palm over Gabe’s thigh and the shorter man was now sporting half a chub.  That was  _ not  _ how he wanted to ‘meet the family.’  Not that it really mattered for him,  _ he  _ wasn’t the one getting married—yet.

 

Gabriel blinked as the thought flashed through his mind.  What the hell? No. He wasn’t the marrying kind. Besides, he and Sam both agreed that eloping in Vegas would be ideal.  Again—what? Gabriel grit his teeth and glared out of the window as they pulled to a stop at the curb. Why was he thinking about marriage, much less, what  _ Sam’s  _ preferences would be?  And  _ why  _ did he care what the Winchesters thought about him?  He and Sam weren’t a  _ thing. _  Were they?

 

He realized that everyone was standing outside of the car by now and he was simply sitting in the backseat with a minor hard-on, alone.  Shaking his head, Gabriel climbed out, just as a middle-aged couple opened the front door and made their way toward them. The blonde woman flung herself at Sam, hugging him tightly before grabbing at Dean and pulling all three of them together.  The tall, handsome, dark-haired man who was clearly the boy’s father, stood behind them, smiling at his family.

 

Gabriel watched the little reunion with a pang of jealousy.  When the Winchester boys broke away from their mother, they each hugged their dad quickly with ‘manly’ back slaps that made Gabe laugh a little.  He covered it with a cough when Cas glared at him. The blonde woman was coming around the car toward him and before Gabriel could move he was being pulled into a hug.  “I’m Mary,” she said as she squeezed the life out of him. “You must be Gabriel.”

 

“You can call me Gabriel or Gabe, I’ll answer to both,” he said as they pulled away and she smiled brightly at him.  Mary tugged on his arm and brought him around the car toward her husband.

 

The elder Winchester held out a hand and gave Gabriel a firm, strong shake.  “I’m John. It’s good to meet you. We’re all very excited to have Castiel join our family.”

 

“We think of him as a son,” Mary chimed in.  “You could be a Winchester too, if you want,” she said brightly.

 

Gabriel chuckled as he watched Sam duck his head and try not to blush at the implication.  He knew that Mary’s invitation was completely innocent, born most likely, from what Cas had told her about their family situation—but he knew Sam was thinking of it in a completely different way.  If he was honest with himself, Gabriel was thinking of it in a different way as well. “Thank you, Mary,” was all he said.

 

“Come on inside boys,” Mary invited them.  “The cherry pie just came out of the oven and we can talk about the schedule of events for the weekend.”

 

Dean rubbed his hands together with excitement and Gabriel smiled when he saw his little brother’s affectionate look toward the man.  “Mom?” Dean said hesitantly.

 

“I made two pies,” Mary laughed at her eldest.  “One for you, and one for everyone else.”

 

“Yes!” Dean pumped his fist in the air and practically ran up the lawn and into the house.

 

The rest of them followed at a more sedate pace.  Sam was directly in front of him, pulling his suitcase behind him.  Just before they reached the door, John looked back at his younger son and squinted.  “You know we’re remodeling your room right now, yes?”

 

“What?” Sam looked surprised. 

 

Mary turned back to glance at them both and her eyes widened.  “Oh, I forgot to tell you,” she exclaimed. “We’re turning it into a small library for all of your father’s books.  There’s no bed in there right now.”

 

“We thought you would be staying at the hotel with the rest of the guests,” John said, looking apologetic.

 

“Um,” Sam looked worried.  “I mean, I guess I could get a room.”

 

“We could make up the couch for you?” Mary suggested, but her tone indicated that she really didn’t think it was a good idea.

 

Sam seemed to agree when he scrunched up his nose and shook his head.  Gabriel didn’t blame him. The kid was basically eight feet tall—he wouldn’t fit on a sofa.  Not comfortably, at least. “I’m good,” Sam said as they entered the house. He propped his suitcase by the door.  “I’ll just get a room at the hotel. It’s fine.”

 

Mary and John visibly relaxed, but Sam still seemed a bit stiff.  Gabriel was curious as to what  _ that  _ was all about.  When they all walked into the kitchen, Dean was already seated at the table, eating an entire pie straight from the pan with a fork.  His cheeks were full of crust and cherries and he smiled widely at them through his food. “You have no manners,” Cas observed as he sat down next to his fiancée.

 

The rest of them took their seats while Mary brought over the extra dessert, along with spare plates and utensils.  Within minutes they were all digging in. Gabriel was impressed at how good the pie actually was—and he was an expert on all things dessert. “This is amazing, Mary,” he complimented.

 

“You are too sweet,” she smiled at him.  “I’d like to think that I’ve perfected the crust after all these years.  Pie is Dean’s favorite so I’ve made quite a few.”

 

“And they’re always the best, mom,” Dean grinned as he shoveled more food into his mouth.

 

“Do you like it, Sam?” Mary asked quietly.

 

Gabriel looked at the man next to him and noticed that Sam hadn’t touched the crust and was attempting to pick the cherries out of the gooey, sugary, toppings.  “Its good mom,” Sam said a little stiffly.

 

“I know you prefer your kale and whatnot, but it  _ is _ Dean’s weekend, so I’m catering to him,” Mary told her younger son.  “I hope you don’t mind.”

 

“I don’t,” Sam said, almost smiling.

 

Gabriel gazed up at Sam for a moment and wondered how often things were ‘catered’ to Dean and not the younger Winchester.  Sam seemed at ease with it, as though he had expected this to happen. Gabriel rolled his tongue around in his mouth, thinking.  After a moment, as the conversation turned to the upcoming wedding, Gabe slipped his hand under the table and grasped Sam’s thigh, giving it a light squeeze.

 

The taller man jolted at the contact and shot him a look.  Gabriel just looked back at him completely innocently and smiled.  He laughed internally as Sam shook his head wearily and shifted in his chair.  He could tell that Sam wasn’t trying to get away from him or break the contact, he was simply leaning into Gabe’s touch.  Gabriel liked that—almost too much.

 

Mary informed them all that tonight was just for relaxing and settling in.  The majority of the wedding party and close family would be arriving in the morning.  They would all meet for an early dinner before the grooms went off for their separate bachelor parties.  Friday would be a brunch, followed by the rehearsal at the venue. And Saturday, at exactly noon, would be the wedding.  The reception hall was booked from two in the afternoon until midnight, so Mary warned them all to get enough sleep so they wouldn’t be too tired for the celebrations.  Dean rolled his eyes at his mother, but Gabriel noticed that Cas nodded solemnly at the advice. He found himself grinning—his brother was such a square sometimes.

 

“So,” Gabriel found himself asking.  “These ‘bachelor parties?’” Dean and Cas stared at him.  “What’s the plan?”

 

Dean shrugged, forking some more of his pie.  “Sammy and I will head out with some of my friends for the night.  You and Cas and your brothers or whatever—I don’t know,” he looked over at Castiel.

 

“We will be having a sedate dinner and then going home,” Cas informed him.  Gabriel tried to hide his smile as Cas fixed him with a stern look. He knew that his brother was trying to warn him off of doing anything ‘untoward,’ or whatever. 

 

“Sure, okay,” Gabe shrugged.  He waited until Cas looked away before winking at Dean who chuckled into his pie.  “I like you, Dean-o,” Gabriel said. “We’ll have to exchange numbers before we split up tonight.  I have a feeling that we’re going to be excellent brothers-in-law.”

 

“I’m game,” Dean said.  Both of them had mischievous looks on their faces.  Sam caught them, but Castiel seemed oblivious that his fiancée and brother were plotting something.  John got up and grabbed a stack of papers from the counter and returned to pass them out to each of them.

 

“What’s this?” Sam asked his father.

 

“Something Castiel and I made,” John told him.  “It’s a detailed itinerary for the next few days so that everyone knows when and where they are supposed to be somewhere.”

 

Sam looked impressed, but Gabriel and Dean met each other’s eyes and made faces.  Apparently hottie Sam was just as anal as Gabe’s little brother. That wasn’t all bad, he thought.  Didn’t opposites attract and all that bullshit? Gabriel took a moment to glance at the paper and his eyes bugged out.  Even the reception was timed down to when certain things such as toasts would be happening. “This is,” he paused. “Very thorough.”

 

John beamed at him.  “Thank you, Gabriel,” he said, not seeming to pick up on the slight sarcasm in the younger man’s voice.  “I have experience with planning missions from my time in the military, but Cas was invaluable.”

 

“Uh huh,” Gabe said nodding and biting his lip, trying not to burst out laughing.

 

“Jeez, dad,” Dean said, reading the itinerary.  “You scheduled times for me and Cas to kiss? 

That’s weird.”

 

“That was me.  I wanted to make sure that we got a few in,” Castiel told Dean seriously.  “We’ll be very busy with well-wishers and other things. I didn’t want kissing to be overlooked.”

 

“Okay, sure, Cas,” Dean said.  The older Winchester sibling looked slightly mollified, but he still smiled at his fiancée.  “Anything for you. This looks good,” Dean said after a moment. “You did a great job.”

 

“Thank you, Dean,” Cas smiled softly.

 

Mary began to clear their plates.  She had to forcibly pull the pie plate away from Dean, who had already consumed over half of it.  “You boys should probably head on over to the hotel and get checked in,” she suggested.

 

“Good idea,” Sam said, standing up quickly, his chair scraping loudly on the floor.

 

Dean shot his brother an odd look, but stood up as well.  He pulled his mother in for a quick hug and said, “See you tomorrow mom.”

 

Sam gave his parents a slightly awkward, ‘bye,’ and they all headed back out to the Impala.  Despite his height, Gabriel thought that Sam looked almost small as he dragged his suitcase back outside to the car.  Something heavy wrapped around his heart at the look on Sam’s face, but Gabe forcibly ignored it.

 

As they made the quick drive to the hotel, the four of them made plans to meet up later for dinner out.  Dean and Cas were living together, and heading back home for a few hours. It would give Gabriel and Sam some time to shower and settle into their rooms before they had to head out once more.  When they pulled into the round drive of the hotel, Sam nodded at his brother and said, “See you later,” to Cas before almost rushing out of the car. Gabriel followed, grabbing his own bag. The two of them stood in front of the hotel and waved as their brothers left.

 

“Come on, Samshine,” Gabriel said, patting Sam on the back.  “Let’s go check in.”

 

They entered the hotel, which was quite opulent.  Marble floors, random exotic plants and statues. It didn’t look like a hotel that one would find in Lawrence, but somewhere more urban like New York City or even Los Angeles.  Sam lagged behind, glancing at just about everything, so Gabriel went ahead and leaned on the counter, smiling at the young woman waiting there. “Gabriel Novak, checking in,” he told her.

 

She typed a few things on her computer as Sam came up to stand next to Gabriel.  He sucked in his breath and moved behind Gabe, as though he was trying to make himself invisible.  It was slightly amusing since there was no way that Gabriel’s smaller frame would  _ ever _ be able to conceal someone of Sam’s height.  It didn’t take very long for the young receptionist to announce that everything checked out and was ready for Gabe.  She passed him a slim key card with a smile and wished him a happy stay. Gabe figured that he would wait for Sam so he could figure out what the kid’s room number would be.

 

“I don’t have a reservation,” Sam told the girl, bowing his head and trying not to look at her.  “I’d like a room with at least a queen if that’s okay?”

 

The girl eyed him for a second before her eyes narrowed into a glare and she set her jaw.  “I’m sorry  _ sir _ ,” the tone was snarky.  “But we are actually full up for the weekend.  We don’t have any vacancy at this time.”

 

“What?” Sam looked up finally, shocked.  “Where am I supposed to stay?”

 

“Perhaps it would have been prudent to get a reservation, Sam,” the girl said in a thoroughly snippy tone.

 

Gabriel narrowed his eyes at her.  He would  _ definitely  _ be speaking to her manager later.  As a travel writer, he had quite a lot of pull at most hotels—along with some pretty great perks, like the champagne that he knew would be chilling in his room.  He also wanted to know how the two of them knew each other.

 

“I didn’t know,” Sam was saying to her.  “I thought I would be staying at my parent’s house, but they’re redoing my room.  There’s no bed.”

 

“And you won’t fit on a couch,” Gabriel chimed in.

 

“Yeah,” Sam nodded.  “Are you sure you don’t have  _ anything _ available?  Please?”

 

“Let me check,” the girl said staring at him.  She didn’t break her gaze or move for almost thirty seconds.  “Nope,” she said after the pause. “Nothing available. We are full up.  Isn’t this just like you, Sam? Never taking responsibility for your actions—just doing whatever you want?  I see you haven’t changed a bit.”

 

Sam goggled at her with his mouth open and Gabriel decided that it was time to step in.  “Okay,” he glanced at her nametag, and made his voice hard. “Amelia?” She nodded. “Super.  I’m going to need another key card for  _ my _ room and a direct line to whoever is the highest ranking manager at this establishment.”  He pulled his laminated identification card out of his pocket that showed he was a preferred guest, as well as his business card.  His columns and various blogs were well-known in the hospitality business and the brightly decorated card had the desired effect as soon as Amelia read them.

 

“What are you doing?” Sam said to him under his breath.

 

Gabriel placed his hand on Sam’s forearm.  “Relax, kiddo.” He looked at Amelia the receptionist once more.  “Any time in the near future would be great. The longer I wait, the worse the review for this place is going to be.  I may even toss in your name—that might make it hard to get another job once this place fires you for incompetence, wouldn’t it?  Thanks. Now run along.”

 

The girl’s eyes blew wide and she stammered for a moment before scurrying off to find someone higher up.  “Sorry,” Gabriel looked up at Sam apologetically. “I’m not usually such a dick, but she was  _ way _ out of line.”  He hummed a little and tilted back onto his heels, trying to smile up at Sam’s worried face.  “Looks like you’re staying with me this weekend,” Gabriel said, his tone playful once more.

 

“I can’t do that,” Sam said.

 

“Too bad,” Gabriel said shortly.  “You don’t really have a choice, and honestly—it won’t be that awful.”

 

“No, I know,” Sam said, flushing slightly.  “It’s just—I’m kind of already getting attached to you and—“

 

He was interrupted by a man in a suit who came to stand behind the counter.  He had a no-nonsense demeanor and smiled thinly at them. “Hello,” he said smoothly.  “I’m Roger, the head manager of the hotel. I would like to extend my sincerest apologies on behalf of myself, and the establishment for the trouble that Amelia has caused you, Mr. Novak.”

 

Gabriel smiled and winked at Sam.  “No worries,” he said, acting perfectly agreeable.  “Since you don’t have any space right now, Sammy is going to stay with me.  I’m sure that it won’t be  _ any _ trouble to have another key card made.  And I’m  _ also _ sure that I won’t be charged for double occupancy, due to this situation.”

 

“Of course not, Mr. Novak,” Roger was all graciousness.  He quickly handed them a second key and informed them to call him directly if they needed  _ anything _ .

 

Gabriel didn’t say anything else.  He simply grabbed Sam’s sleeve and steered the taller man toward the elevators.  Their room was on the third floor and the lift was completely empty when they stepped inside.  As the doors closed, they stood next to one another, close enough for their arms to brush. “So,” Gabriel said as the elevator moved up one floor.  “You’re attached to me?”

 

Sam sputtered.  “I, um,” he clenched his fists and looked incredibly uncomfortable, not meeting Gabriel’s eyes and just staring straight ahead.  “I don’t know why I said that,” Sam finally breathed as the doors opened on their floor.

 

“Okay,” Gabriel said easily.  He dropped the subject as they pulled their bags down the hallway, counting off numbers until they found their room.  “Three-eighteen,” Gabriel announced, sliding his key into the pad on the door. “Here we are.”

 

They entered the room, which was spacious and elegantly decorated.  There was a rather enormous bathroom with a shower made completely of glass bricks, as well as a Jacuzzi tub.  Large windows looked out onto a small lake where ducks could be seen paddling in the water. The champagne that Gabe had requested was chilling in a large ice bucket on a room-service rolling table in the corner.  And a single King-Sized bed dominated the far wall.

 

Gabriel pushed his suitcase into a corner and glanced over at Sam who was staring at the single bed.  “Not a problem, is it?” Gabriel asked.

 

“No,” Sam said quickly.  “It’s fine. I mean, they don’t have any other rooms so it isn’t like we could have asked for a double.  This is okay. It’s cool. I’m cool. Fine.”

 

“You’re cute when you’re embarrassed and nervous,” Gabriel observed as he flopped down on the bed and looked up at Sam.

 

When the taller man made no effort to move, Gabriel rolled his eyes and patted the bed next to him.  “Take a load off, Sammy,” he suggested.

 

Sam slowly came toward him and sank down on the bed next to him.  Gabriel waited a moment before leaning back and falling onto the bed with his feet dangling over the edge, his eyes shut tight.  Sam sat next to him, stiff as a board. “This doesn’t bother you at all?” Sam finally asked. “I mean, we barely know each other.”

 

“I don’t give blowjobs to strangers, Sammich,” Gabriel said, trying to hide his amusement.  “At least, not often.”

 

“Um,” Sam said, trailing off and mumbling something under his breath.

 

Gabriel cracked open his eyes and looked at Sam.  “What did I say earlier?” his voice was low and soothing.

 

“You said that us meeting today was fate,” Sam said after a pause.

 

“Don’t forget it, kiddo,” Gabriel reached up and ran his fingers down Sam’s back.  He could feel the other man shiver under his touch. “Fate.”


	3. Is That My Ex?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Sam gets a sexy little show and a phone number, Dean stays oblivious, and Gabe gets his jealousy on...

Sam didn’t realize that Gabe had fallen asleep until he heard the soft snores.  He looked over his shoulder and saw that Gabriel’s eyes were closed and his entire body was fully relaxed.  The shorter man’s mouth was open just a little, with soft puffs of air escaping his lips. It had taken him less than thirty seconds to completely pass out.  Sam, who suffered from slight insomnia, was incredibly jealous.

 

Deciding that the best course of action was to at least shower off the day of traveling, Sam stood up and walked over to his bag.  He pulled out some clean, presentable clothes that would work well for dinner later that evening and headed to the bathroom. He had to take a moment to drink in the sight of the amazing looking facilities before shaking his head and shutting the door behind him.  He didn’t bother with the lock.

 

After turning on the water for the shower, he quickly stripped, waiting for the temperature to reach perfection.  It didn’t take long. Soon enough, Sam was stepping under the hot spray and letting out a sigh. The showerhead had adjustments to control the water and Sam spent a few minutes playing around with it before he settled on something.  The firm gush of water pounded into his back, loosening the muscles and washing away the dirt of the airport.

 

For the first time since he had laid eyes on his brother that afternoon, Sam finally relaxed.  He loved his family, he really did—he just didn’t relate well to them. He never had. His parents had always been just a little distant with him when he was growing up.  He knew why. His mother, Mary, had been diagnosed with breast cancer when Sam was six months old. There had been signs, but she’d ignored them, thinking that the pain had something to do with breast-feeding her newborn.  She’d been wrong. 

 

Mary had fought, eventually going into remission when Sam was two, but he always felt as though his parents blamed him for his mother’s disease progressing so far.  He knew that was insane, but it didn’t stop the lingering feelings. After Mary’s recovery, John devoted almost all of his spare time to her, leaving Dean to practically raise Sam despite the fact that he was only four years older.  It was a messed up situation, but Sam knew that it could have been much worse. He could have lost his mother. As it was, he still had both of his parents, and a pretty unbreakable bond with Dean. He just found that the longer he spent away from Lawrence, the more disconnected from his family he became.

 

He was rubbing some shampoo into his hair when Sam heard the bathroom door creak open.  Blinking away soap, he craned his neck. He could see a shadow moving around on the other side of the glass bricks of the shower.  “Gabe?” he asked a little loudly over the sound of the running water.

 

“Yeah,” Gabriel called back.  “I’m leaving you a present. Don’t mind me.”

 

Sam wasn’t embarrassed that he was naked in the shower and Gabriel was wandering around just outside.  He was actually a little disappointed that the other man hadn’t just joined him. He had a feeling that shower sex with Gabe would have been pretty close to heaven on earth.  Sam watched the movement of the other man as he washed the suds out of his hair. Gabriel wasn’t in the bathroom long. Enough to set something on the counter and then quietly slip out.

 

He finished bathing as quickly as he could.  Shutting off the water and snagging a large, fluffy towel from the rack, Sam dried off, wrapped the towel low around his waist.  When he stepped out of the enclosed shower, he saw that Gabriel had placed one of the champagne glasses on the counter, full to the brim with bubbly.  The bathroom door had been left open a crack and Sam smiled as he took a small sip of the drink. “Are you trying to get me drunk and take advantage?” he joked, calling out into the room.

 

“You’ve seen through my evil plan,” Gabriel laughed, shouting back at him.

 

Sam heard footfalls just outside the door.  He turned as it opened again, revealing Gabriel standing there looking up at him.  “Wow, Sam,” Gabriel clicked his tongue and looked impressed. “Get a load of you.”

 

Trying to laugh off the compliment, Sam did his best to smile as he watched Gabe’s eyes roam over every inch of him.  He noticed that Gabriel lingered a while on his hipbones, and for some reason, that was an incredible turn on. “Did you need something?” Sam said playfully.

 

“Yeah,” Gabriel wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, but then turned serious.  “The shower. I stink and it’s gross.”

 

“Have at it,” Sam gestured toward the glass shower.

 

There was a charged moment as Gabriel regarded him.  Their gazes were locked and Sam knew that he was essentially daring the other man to strip.  He was almost certain that Gabriel wouldn’t do it. A slow smile spread across Gabe’s lips and Sam knew that he had been one hundred percent wrong.  Before he could react, Gabriel’s shirt was off, thrown somewhere behind him and he was unzipping his pants. His eyes stayed fixed on Sam’s as he removed his clothes with tantalizing slowness.  “Don’t mind if I do,” Gabriel said, letting his pants drop to the floor.

 

Sam blinked as he watched Gabriel step out of the clothes pooled around his ankles and moved toward him.  Their hips brushed as Gabriel kept eye contact, moving toward the shower in nothing but boxer briefs and a twisted grin.  Sam swallowed unconsciously and Gabriel chuckled at him. “Sorry kiddo,” Gabe said, stepping into the shower and shutting the glass door behind him.

 

The bricks made it impossible to see any sort of detail, but Sam could see movement.  A few seconds later, Gabriel’s underwear flew over the top of the shower and landed directly into Sam’s palm.  “That’s all the show you’re getting for now,” Gabe laughed as he turned on the water.

 

Sam gave an unsteady laugh and nodded mutely.  He could make out Gabe’s shape moving around in the water and he was  _ so _ tempted to get back in the shower.  Instead, he shook his head, grabbed his clean clothes and the glass of champagne and headed out into the room.  As he got dressed, Sam considered that he may have just seen one of the sexiest things of his life. Gabriel ranked right up there with all of his top fantasies and Sam wasn’t quite sure what to do with that.  He hadn’t been kidding when he’d slipped up and said that he was getting attached.

 

It was crazy to think that he was this smitten with someone he’d met less than twelve hours ago, but here he was.  Sam kept glancing at the slightly open bathroom door and picturing that small, compact body all covered in soap. He wasn’t surprised when his dick sprang to life, even though he wasn’t happy about it.  Pressing his palm against himself, Sam silently begged that his erection would go away on its own before Gabe came back into the room.

 

Pouring himself another glass of champagne, Sam turned and gazed out of the window at the lake until he heard the door open and Gabe walk up behind him.  When he glanced at the shorter man, he sucked in a breath and knew that his cock was going to stay hard for a long time. 

 

Gabriel was wearing all white, which just made his skin look even tanner.  Tight white pants hugged his thighs and hinted at an impressive bulge that Sam stared at for way too long.  He had on a long sleeved white button down shirt that was open low on his chest, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.  Gabriel grinned at him and Sam noticed that his hair was still dripping, slicked back over his ears.

 

“We match,” Gabriel observed casually.  Sam blinked at him for a moment before he realized what the other man was getting at.  Sam was dressed in almost the same thing, except he was wearing all black.

 

“Yeah, I guess so,” Sam said, his voice cracking uncomfortably, making him wince.  Gabriel didn’t comment on it, but he did give Sam a smirk.

 

He watched as Gabriel moved toward the small table and poured himself another glass of champagne.  Sam couldn’t help but stare as the shorter man brought it up to his lips for a sip. “Tell me,” Gabe said after a moment.  “How do you know the she-devil downstairs?”

 

Sam blinked.  “Amelia?” Gabe nodded.  “Um,” he scratched at the back of his neck and looked sheepish.  “She was my prom date in high school.”

 

Gabe raised an eyebrow.  “I take it that she didn’t enjoy your magical night?”

 

“You could say that,” Sam reached for the champagne to top his own glass off.  “She was as senior—in the same grade as Dean. I was a freshman who ran tech for the school’s theatre departments and she was always cast as the lead in the shows.  Anyway,” he gulped down a large amount of alcohol, trying to avoid Gabe’s eyes. “She decided she liked me, and asked me to the senior prom. I said yes, because it wasn’t like I’d get to go on my own being a freshman.”

 

“So, what?” Gabriel finally spoke.  “She didn’t like the corsage you picked out?”

 

“No,” Sam chuckled a little.  “I picked her up—Dean drove us because I didn’t have a license—and her dad didn’t really approve of me.  He made some shitty comments before we left. It just,” Sam shrugged. “It just rubbed me the wrong way.”  He bit his lip, hiding the ghost of a smile as he looked over at Gabe. “I faked a headache and had Dean drive us back to her place.  Dropped her off and left.”

 

“That’s it?” Gabriel seemed surprised.

 

“I may have had Dean drive me back to the prom after we took her home where I ended up making out with one of the goth girls in the corner,” Sam could feel a light blush rising.  He  _ had  _ been kind of an ass back then about the whole situation—but Amelia’s dad had been a jerk, and she’d seemed to agree with her father.  “Amelia found out about it and wasn’t very happy with me.”

 

“Jeez, kiddo,” Gabriel was laughing.

 

“It wasn’t the best decision of my life,” Sam acknowledged.

 

“No wonder she doesn’t like you,” Gabe chuckled.  “She was literally a ditchable prom date to you.”

 

“Yeah,” Sam winced a little.  “To be fair, I was only fourteen.”

 

“All right,” Gabe said after a moment.  “You get a pass. I did my fair share of horrible shit when I was that age too.”

 

Their eyes met for what seemed like an age, neither of them speaking, just watching one another with slow smiles.  It felt peaceful and Sam didn’t want the feeling to end. Which was why it probably should. He mentally berated himself and forced his gaze away from Gabe’s captivating golden eyes.  “So, we should probably head downstairs,” Sam said after a beat. “Cas and Dean should be here any time.”

 

“Lead the way,” Gabriel smiled, gesturing toward the door, his eyes dancing with amusement.

 

Sam nodded once and hurried out of the room, making sure to grab his wallet and the room key before the door swung shut behind him.  Why was he suddenly an awkward stammering mess? He wasn’t like this—not ever. Something about Gabriel just made him tongue-tied and feeling like he was sixteen with his first crush again.  It was disconcerting and exhilarating at the same time.

 

When they got to the elevator, Sam saw the exact moment that Gabe noticed that his hands were shaking at his sides.  “Are you okay?” Gabriel asked, his voice sounding genuinely concerned.

 

“Yup,” Sam knew he was unconvincing.

 

“Look kiddo,” Gabriel said with a slight sigh.  “As much as I think you’re adorable being all nervous and shit, you really need to chill the fuck out.”  Sam glanced over at him. “Seriously. Five hours ago, you were coming down my throat,” Gabe reminded him.  “And now you’re all skittish—like someone is going to jump out of a bush and chase you around waving a knife.  I’m not going to bite you.”

 

Sam knew that Gabe was right and he was acting weird, he just didn’t know how to stop.  “I just,” he stammered. “You know,” he tried. “This is just a  _ really  _ odd situation.  I didn’t expect this.”

 

“You think I did?” Gabriel laughed.  “I mean, yeah, I was going to call you in the future,” he admitted.  “But it looks like ‘sometime in the future’ is about ten minutes after you fucked my mouth.  So let’s just roll with it and see what happens.”

 

“You’re not at all disturbed by the fact that on Saturday we’re going to be basically brothers-in-law?” Sam asked as the elevator doors slid open revealing the lobby.

 

Gabriel shrugged.  “No.” He watched Sam’s face for a beat.  “But you are,” Gabe let out a sigh. “It’s fine if you don’t want to continue this.  If it’s too uncomfortable for you or whatever. I get it.”

 

“No,” Sam said quickly.

 

“No?” Gabriel raised an eyebrow at him.  “No, let’s get it on? Or no, you want to pretend this afternoon never happened?”

 

“No,” Sam repeated.  “I’d like to see where this goes.  I would. Really.”

 

Gabriel regarded him and clicked his tongue before nodding once.  “Okay,” he said easily as they walked to the doors of the hotel. “I think you’re one of the hottest men I’ve ever met, hands down,” he admitted, grinning when Sam’s face flushed.  “And I’m pretty sure you’re at least somewhat attracted to me.”

 

“That’s an understatement,” Sam muttered.

 

Smiling, Gabe continued.  “All right. So, we’re both into each other?  What could go wrong?”

 

They stepped onto the curb outside of the hotel as they spoke.  With impeccable timing, Dean’s Impala slid around the corner and pulled up to them.  Sam lowered his voice and said, “ _ Dean _ could go wrong.  This might freak him out and I really don’t want to deal with that.”

 

“Yeah, I’m not sure that Cassie would be too thrilled either.  So this stays between us,” Gabriel reassured him quietly. “I can keep a secret, kiddo.”

 

Sam nodded to show that he heard and understood as the passenger side window rolled down.  Dean leaned across Cas’ lap and called out at them, “Hurry up, we got reservations!”

 

Careful not to touch as they both slid into the backseat, they buckled in as Dean pulled away, headed toward the restaurant for dinner.  Dean chattered away in the driver’s seat and neither he, nor Cas, noticed that their brothers hands were brushing on the seat between them.

* * *

 

 

“So what have you been up to?” The question that Dean asked was directed at Sam and Gabriel watched closely to see how the kid reacted.  In the short time that he’d become acquainted with the Winchesters, their family dynamic seemed…strained, to say the least.

 

Their menus were all lying on the table and things had been stilted ever since the teenaged hostess had seated them.  Everyone had busied themselves deciding what to order. Now that that was out of the way, the table had fallen into an awkward silence as they waited for someone to take their drink orders.  Dean had taken it upon himself to break the ice.

 

Sam shifted in his chair next to Gabriel, his face completely neutral to the average passerby—Gabe knew better.  He may have only known Sam for a few hours, but it was if he could read the kid like a book already. He found it a bit disconcerting, but he wasn’t about to complain.  “Mostly work,” Sam said in a slightly clipped tone. “You?”

 

“Work, the wedding, spending time with Cas,” Dean replied, taking his fiancé’s hand on the table.  “Are you seeing anyone? It’s been a while since you and Jess broke up.”

 

Sam visibly flinched at the name, but neither Dean, nor Cas, seemed to notice it.  He gave a thin smile before saying, “That was back in law school. Two years ago.”

 

“Yeah,” Dean said, unaware as to how the conversation was affecting his brother.  “Two years is a long time—you’ve dated since then, right?”

 

“Nothing serious,” Sam grit his teeth.

 

Gabriel actually couldn’t take it anymore and subtly reached his hand over underneath the table to squeeze Sam’s thigh.  The taller man looked over at him in surprise before making a quick recovery. He granted a small smile in Gabe’s direction and turned back to his brother.  “I like to keep my options open now.”

 

Dean chuckled.  “That  _ is  _ the Winchester way, isn’t it?”

 

“Not anymore,” Castiel spoke up in a grave voice, looking sharply at his fiancé.

 

“Not for me,” Dean smiled.  “You’re the only one I want, angel.” 

 

The two of them kissed quickly, and Gabe narrowed his eyes.  He still hadn’t had time to suss out his feelings about his baby brother marrying someone who was basically a stranger to Gabriel.  Dean smiled at Cas fondly before looking up at Sam and saying, “About Jess—“

 

“So, Cassie,” Gabriel broke in.  “How did you and Dean-o meet?”

 

Sam shot him a grateful look at the change of subject as Castiel and Dean launched into the tale of how their relationship began.  They had just started on the awkwardness of their first date when a slim young woman walked up to their table, smiling. “Good evening,” she said.  “Welcome to—Sam!” She beamed down at Sam, and something a little too close to jealousy roiled in Gabe’s gut.

 

“Madison!” Sam seemed genuinely surprised.

 

“How are you?” she asked, grinning at him and mostly ignoring the other three men.  “What are you doing back in town?”

 

“Um,” Sam glanced over at his brother.  “Dean’s getting married.”

 

Dean held up his and Cas’ entwined hands to show off matching silver bands to the woman.  She looked impressed and gave Castiel a small wink. “You must be something special to get Dean Winchester off the market.”

 

“He is,” Dean said, grinning, before Cas could reply.

 

Madison turned back to Sam.  “Are you still a big, bad lawyer in the city?” her tone was teasing and Gabriel couldn’t help but tighten his grip on Sam’s leg possessively.

 

Sam shot him a strange look before replying.  “Yeah, I guess. What about you?”

 

“This is my restaurant,” she told him.  “I opened it three years ago.” Her face glowed with pride.

 

“Wow,” Sam said.  “That’s impressive.  You always did like food.”

 

“Exotic food,” she corrected with a smile.  “I didn’t think that Lawrence had enough variety, so I fixed it.  We’re actually doing really well. Unfortunately I had three of my waitstaff call in sick tonight--they’re claiming stomach flu, but the bus boys informed me that there was a rather crazy party at one of the girl’s homes last night.  So I’m assuming they’re all hungover.” She shook her head, but didn’t look very upset. “Lucky for you gentlemen, you get me tonight! The bison burger is my favorite, if you want a recommendation for something that isn’t  _ too  _ wild.”

 

“That sounds good,” Dean piped up.  “One for me. What about you, Cas?”

 

“I would also enjoy the bison burger,” he said lowly.

 

Madison seemed to realize that the socializing was over, and began to jot down their orders on a small tablet.  “For you gentlemen?” she asked both Gabe and Sam, although her eyes never left Sam’s face.

 

“I’ll try the sweet caramelized pork,” Gabriel said tightly.

 

She wrote it down without glancing at him and quirked a smile at Sam.  “Sammy?” she said, with just a hint of an eyelash flutter. “What would  _ you  _ like?”

 

Sam seemed a little uncomfortable with her attentions and tried not to make eye contact as he spoke.  “I’ll do the roasted orange duck entrée salad, please.” He handed her his menu while staring at the table.

 

They all ordered cocktails and handed over their menus as well.  Madison seemed a little put out by the lack of flirting between them, but she never let her professional smile slip from her face.  “I’ll have your drinks right out,” she told them before finally leaving.

 

Gabriel was almost relieved when Cas was the one to broach the subject once they were alone again.  “Friend of yours, Sam?”

 

Sam shook his head once and gnawed on his lip.  “She was my high school girlfriend,” he said. “We only dated for a few months though.  I’m actually surprised that she remembered me.”

 

“You’re hard to forget, kiddo,” Gabe muttered under his breath.

 

“Yeah,” Dean said slowly.  “Yeah, I remember her. The girl from the yearbook club—didn’t she end up dropping out of school and disappearing when you were juniors?”

 

“I don’t know,” Sam shrugged.  “We weren’t dating by then. I kind of lost track of her.”

 

Dean grinned at his brother.  “Well, she was certainly friendly to  _ you _ ,” Dean observed.  “Maybe you could hook up with her sometime this weekend?  She’s pretty hot.”

 

“I’ll pass,” Sam said firmly.

 

“Come on, Sammy, live a little,” Dean laughed.

 

“Maybe he isn’t interested,” Gabriel said in a firm tone, raising his eyebrow at Dean.  “Besides,” he continued. “With the two of us sharing a room, it’d be hard to bring a booty call back to the hotel.”

 

“Why are you sharing a room?” Cas asked, tilting his head toward his brother.

 

They told Castiel and Dean about the hotel being fully booked, leaving out the altercation with Amelia.  Gabriel could see that Dean was eyeing him throughout the story and he began to stare back at the other man, showing that he wasn’t intimidated.  After Sam finished speaking, Dean looked between the two of them for a beat. “Well, thanks for taking in my little brother, Gabe.”

 

“My pleasure,” Gabriel said, letting just a hint of innuendo bleed into his tone.

 

Their drinks arrived and everyone loosened up some after a few sips of alcohol.  Cas and Dean talked endlessly about the upcoming wedding and the plans they had for the rest of the weekend.  Gabriel mostly tuned them out and busied himself by sneaking looks at the man next to him. Sam was putting on a good show of listening, but Gabe could tell that the younger man’s eyes were beginning to glaze over after a half an hour of wedding talk.

 

The food was excellent, even Gabriel with his high standards, had to admit.  He’d have to be sure to include a small favorable review for the place with one of his upcoming articles.  Despite Madison’s increasing advances on  _ his  _ man, Gabe was impressed with the cuisine.  She was obviously a talented chef with a flair for flavor.

 

Dean dug into his burger with abandon, making all sorts of obscene noises as he ate.  Surprisingly, Cas was doing almost the same thing. Gabe had never seen his reserved brother so laid-back in his life.  Maybe Dean-o was a good influence on the normally stuffy Castiel.

 

Gabe noticed that Sam was eyeing his plate and he stabbed a piece of meat with his fork and held it out toward Sam.  “Go on,” he said with a wink. “Give it a try.”

 

There was only a moment of hesitation before Sam bent his head and ate off of Gabe’s fork.  He watched as the younger man chewed, closing his eyes. “It tastes like it was boiled in pure sugar,” Sam finally said.

 

“Good, right?” Gabriel smiled.

 

“It’s a little too sweet for me,” Sam chuckled, going back to his large salad.  “Do you want to try mine?”

 

Gabe wrinkled his nose.  “I might die if I eat that many vegetables,” Gabe said in mock seriousness.

 

They finished their meals, chatting about lighter topics than previously and by the time the bill came, they were all happily full.  The four of them argued over who would pay for a while before Castiel simply grabbed the bill and glared at them all in defiance. When Madison returned a short while later with Cas’ card and the receipt, she slid a folded up piece of paper into Sam’s hands with a wink before sauntering away.

 

They all watched as Sam unfolded the paper and read it, his nose wrinkled.  “Did you get her number?” Dean smiled.

 

Sam nodded and Gabe felt something clench around his heart.  In an instant, the feeling was gone as he watched Sam ball up the note and toss it into the center of the table before he stood up to leave.  “You’re not taking it?” he asked softly.

 

“I don’t want it,” Sam said simply, ignoring Dean’s comically shocked face.  “Let’s get out of here.”

 

The drive back to the hotel was quick.  The only conversation really was Dean wondering out loud why Sam would turn down a ‘hottie like that.’  Occasionally Cas would shoot pointed looks at his lover, but Dean didn’t seem to notice. Gabriel was staring out of the window, trying to make sense of the tumult of feelings that were flowing through him.  He liked Sam—more than he should this early in the game. And he was slightly concerned about the visceral reaction he’d had twice so far today when confronted with some of Sam’s ex-lovers. 

 

When he felt fingers twirling around his own, Gabe pulled himself away from the window and looked over at Sam with wide eyes.  The younger man was smiling softly at him, keeping their entwined fingers out of sight in his lap. Gabe’s heartbeat sped up and he swallowed dryly at the look in Sam’s eyes.  Something told him that tonight was going to be one that he wouldn’t be forgetting any time soon.


	4. Taking it Slow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Sam tries to back off, Gabriel goes along with things, and Sam is too long to fit into a tiny car.

The two of them waited for Cas and Dean to drive away, waving as the Impala turned out onto the road, before heading inside.  Once their brothers were out of sight, they grabbed for each other’s hands once more. They hurried through the lobby, ignoring the glare from Amelia behind the desk as they practically ran to the elevators.

 

Despite the lift being empty, they simply stood next to one another, gripping fingers and looking straight ahead as they climbed floors.  Sam felt a flutter of nervousness once more and tried to squash it down. He’d managed to not be a mumbling ball of awkward for the most part during dinner; but now that he was alone with Gabriel once more, he could feel the pricks of unease.  What if he did something monumentally stupid and scared Gabe off. Against all of his instincts, he was feeling clingy and needy, which wasn’t like him at all.

 

The doors opened on their floor and the two men walked at a more sedate pace to their room.  Unlike the rush in the lobby—mostly to avoid Amelia—each step had Sam’s heart rate rising. Gabriel seemed so fun and carefree; and he’d already admitted to Sam that he was impulsive and had terrible ideas.  What if Gabe was looking at this as a fun way to pass the time during the wedding and nothing more? Sam had already slipped up by admitting that he was getting attached to the shorter man.  Gabe had seemed fine with the admission at the time, but he could push Sam away at any moment.

 

“Your brain must be on fire,” Gabriel said casually as he unlocked the door to their room.

 

“What?”

 

“You’re thinking too hard,” Gabe said.  “I can practically  _ hear  _ you having a panic attack.  What’s going on?”

 

The door swung shut behind them with a click, leaving them completely alone.  Sam reached over and flicked on one of the lamps, bathing the room in a soft glow.  He made a point of avoiding looking at the single bed in the room, which only added to his discomfort.  “I just, um,” he tried.

 

Gabriel looked at him with something akin to sympathy before letting go of his hand and grabbing the half full bottle of champagne they had left earlier.  He poured a glass and handed it to Sam saying, “It’s flat now, but it’ll still do the trick,” motioning for Sam to take drink. 

 

After a moment’s pause, Sam downed the whole glass.  It didn’t taste the best between the lack of carbonation and the fact that it was warm, but it did help.  Gabe flopped back onto the end of the bed, swinging his feet, which didn’t quite touch the floor. “Talk to me, kiddo.”

 

He moved toward Gabriel, perching on the bed next to the other man, rolling the empty glass around in his hands.  When he didn’t speak, Gabe gently took the glass from him and set it on the floor, out of the way. “I, um,” Sam said again.  He looked over at Gabe and felt his breath catch at the completely open and concerned look in those bright amber eyes. “Where exactly do you see this going?”

 

Letting out a low whistle, Gabriel smiled lightly at him.  “The relationship talk already? You move fast Samshine, I’ll give you that.”  Sam’s face flushed deeply and he stared at the floor, wishing that it would swallow him whole.  His whole body went rigid when he felt Gabriel’s hand resting on his forearm. “Woah,” Gabe said, his voice serious.  “I was just teasing you. Don’t freak out, okay? I’m sorry.”

 

“Its fine,” Sam winced when his voice hitched.  He was so fucked. It hadn’t even been an entire day, and he was asking if they had a future.  Gabe had every right to give him shit for it. It was ridiculous.  _ He _ was ridiculous.

 

Without warning, Gabriel’s hands were on his face, gently pulling him down to the shorter man’s level.  Gabe’s lips were on his, a feather-light kiss that was almost disgustingly chaste. Despite his surprise, Sam parted his lips, trying to deepen the kiss, but Gabriel pulled away and looked up at him seriously.  “Okay, kiddo,” Gabe said. “Now that  _ that’s  _ out of the way, we can talk.  Sound good?”

 

Surprisingly, the brief kiss had calmed Sam’s overactive nerves quite a bit.  He was breathing evenly again and his heart didn’t feel as though it would fly out of his chest with nerves.  Even as he relaxed, other parts of his body were begging for more.

 

“Sam?” Gabriel’s voice cut through into his brain.  “Look, I know that we’ve kind of went about this all ass-backwards, but we can take this however you want.  Whatever makes you comfortable.”

 

“I’m usually not this weird, I swear,” Sam said after a moment.

 

“You’re not that weird,” Gabriel laughed.

 

Sam chuckled along with him for a moment before he sobered.  “It’s just, all day,” he began. “With everything,” he shot a pointed look at Gabriel.

 

“Not used to blowjobs from random strangers in mostly public places?” Gabe winked at him.

 

“No,” Sam told him.  “But that, and then meeting Cas.  Plus the whole thing with Amelia downstairs, and then Madison, on top of my parents…I just,” he paused.  “I was really excited to see where this was going after you did that little striptease in the bathroom,” Sam trailed off.

 

“And now you’re not?” Gabriel was deceptively casual.

 

“I still am,” Sam almost shouted.  He didn’t want Gabriel to think that he wasn’t interested in him anymore, because he was—fuck, he really was!  “I just keep thinking of all the ways I’ve messed up my relationships in the past and I,” he bit his lip. “I don’t want that with you.”

 

Gabe watched him curiously for a moment, rolling his tongue around in his mouth.  Sam had to force himself to look away from those plump, pink lips. “So we step back,” Gabe finally said.  Sam blinked at him. “I’ll admit, we kind of jumped in with both feet this morning,” Gabriel shrugged. He honestly didn’t seem to be bothered in the least.  “We’ll take things a little slower for the next few days. Trust me, kiddo,” Gabe winked at him. “I wasn’t expecting  _ anything _ this weekend, except maybe a fight with my siblings.”  Gabriel’s face lit up as he smiled at Sam and the taller man felt mesmerized by how absolutely gorgeous Gabe was.  “Despite what my siblings will tell you, I’m a patient man—on occasion. And I can tell that you’re going to be worth the wait.”

 

Sam’s mouth actually fell open at the words.  He’d never been told he was worth anything—not from anyone.  Gabe had known him for less than a day and thought that Sam was more than any effort or issues that may come up.  It was sobering how much the shorter man seemed to think of him. For lack of anything to say, Sam settled on, “You planned on fighting with your siblings?  Are they really that bad?”

 

Hopping up from the bed and flipping open the top of his suitcase, Gabriel casually said, “Nah.”  Sam didn’t really buy the nonchalant attitude, but he wasn’t going to call Gabe on it. “We just have differences of opinions on occasion.”

 

Sam  _ definitely  _ understood that.  He knew that in his situation, he hated when people tried to pry, so he decided to keep his mouth shut and change the subject.  “What are you doing?”

 

“I don’t know about you,” Gabriel turned to him with a grin.  “But I’ve been traveling all day. I’m going to change, brush my teeth and pass out—since there’s no sex on the menu.”  He said it jokingly and without venom, which made Sam relax even more. “What side of the bed do you want, kiddo?”

 

“I’ll stay near the door,” Sam replied.

 

“Oh, good,” Gabe said casually.  “If someone breaks in, then they’ll stab you first—I like that.  Makes me feel all fuzzy inside.”

 

“I aim to please,” Sam laughed as Gabriel bounced away toward the bathroom.  He noticed that despite Gabe leaving the main room to change, he left the door ajar in almost a silent invitation.  Sam pushed all thoughts of Gabriel slipping into pajamas from his mind and began to gather his own supplies from his bag.

 

When Gabe emerged in obscenely short silk boxers and a tight white tank top, Sam immediately looked up at the ceiling to avoid outright ogling.  He stammered something—he didn’t even know what he was trying to say—and escaped to the bathroom, firmly shutting the door behind him. Sam went through his nightly routine, taking more time than he usually did in the hopes that Gabe would be asleep when he snuck back into the bedroom.  No luck.

 

Stretched out on the side of the bed by the window, Gabriel was under the covers, thankfully hiding anything below the belt beneath the fluffy blankets, but he was also aimlessly channel surfing.  From the corner of his eye, Sam watched the various shows click past as he put his toiletries away. Just as he was settling down on his side of the bed, debating if he should sleep on top of the covers or not, Gabriel stopped and said, “Oh, this one is a  _ classic _ !”

 

Sam squinted at the screen.  There were people in scrubs making out in what looked like an operating room.  “What the hell is this?” he asked suspiciously.

 

“’Doctor Sexy, MD,’” Gabriel said, his eyes glued to the television.  “This is the one where the crazy guy brings a grenade into the emergency room and Doctor Piccolo jumps on it—but it’s a dud and she’s fine.”

 

“That’s…stupid,” Sam said finally, chuckling at the look horror on Gabe’s face.  "And I don't think it's sanitary for them to be getting it on in the OR.  Isn't it supposed to be incredibly clean there?"  


 

“Shut your mouth,” he said with a laugh.  “It’s compelling stuff.  And it's entertainment, not a documentary,” Gabe snickered at him.  


 

“Dean used to watch this show,” Sam mused.

 

“Obviously your brother has good taste,” Gabe grumbled a bit as he settled back into his pillows.

 

They didn’t change the channel, continuing on with the medical nighttime soap opera.  Sam found himself completely ignoring the ridiculousness on screen, and simply watching Gabe and his reactions.  The shorter man had obviously seen the episode before, but he still jumped and gasped and made small noises when the characters were in ‘tense’ situations.  It was actually kind of adorable in Sam’s mind. Throughout the viewing, Gabriel subtly moved closer and closer to Sam until their sides were brushing. It made Sam’s body thrum with something wild and pleasant. 

 

After some debate, Sam took Gabe’s hand in his own and quickly looked back at the television, not wanting to see the surprised look on Gabriel’s face.  He figured that they had held hands secretly in the car and again as they went up to their room. It felt right and natural and—sue him—he  _ wanted  _ to do it.

 

Sam could see the show fading out to a commercial, and Gabe had stopped hopping around so much next to him.  He finally chanced a look and gave a small, sheepish grin at the shorter man who was gaping at him. “Holding hands is still taking it slow,” Sam shrugged.

 

He watched Gabriel’s face go through a small range of emotions before he settled on a grin.  “You’re absolutely right, Samsquatch.” He raised the remote and clicked off the television. 

 

Rolling over to turn off the lamp next to him, Gabe was contorted into a strange twist in order to flick the switch, while not letting go of Sam’s hand.  Sam found himself chuckling as the room went dark. Gabriel was burrowing further under the covers next to him and lightly pulling on Sam’s hand to coax him down into the bed.  It didn’t take much, because Sam honestly didn’t know of anyplace else that he’d rather be.

 

They both moved about, ending up on their sides, facing one another, hands still grasped tightly.  The curtains were slightly open, allowing for a sliver of moon to light the room up just enough that they could see one another when they moved closer.  “I like this,” Sam said. “I like being able to look you in the eyes.”

 

“Yeah,” Gabriel shot back.  “And I’m not getting a crick in my neck from looking up at your face somewhere in the fucking stratosphere.”

 

Sam brought his other hand up and fumbled a bit before he finally found Gabe’s hip and set his palm lightly onto the other man.  “Is this okay?” he asked, moving his thumb gently on Gabe’s hip.

 

“You set the pace, kiddo,” Gabriel told him.  “Whatever you’re comfortable with is fine by me.”

 

He enjoyed how Gabe’s breath hitched as he moved his hand up, sliding his fingers underneath Gabriel’s tank top and brushing his incredibly smooth skin.  Sam’s head was bent slightly because he felt a little uncomfortable just staring Gabe in the eyes at the moment. But he was wholly focused on the shorter man’s parted lips and it was giving him ideas—not going slow ideas.  “In that case,” Sam said breathily. “I want a goodnight kiss.”

 

He looked up in time to see Gabe give him a predatory smirk before he leaned in, pressing his lips to Sam’s.  It was the briefest of touches, barely a glide of contact, before Gabe pulled back. He made it almost two inches before Sam’s hands came up to cup his face and pull him back in.

 

This time, the kiss was frantic, melding their tongues together as their bodies shifted closer.  Sam’s hands moved down to Gabriel’s hips, trying to pull the smaller man on top of him. He was pleased when Gabe seemed to allow it, and disappointed moments later when his bedmate crawled away.

 

Gabriel curled up on his side of the bed, breathing labored.  Their bodies were no longer touching, but Gabe was still clinging to Sam’s hand.  They both blinked at one another as their heart rates came down and they settled into their own pillows.  “ _ That  _ wasn’t exactly taking things slow,” Gabe huffed.

 

“No it wasn’t,” Sam said.  “Sorry. I’m giving you mixed signals and it’s probably pissing you off.”

 

Gabe stroked his thumb across Sam’s cheek.  “Not at all. I just don’t want to pressure you, and if we keep kissing like that, I’m liable to start begging.  Don’t forget—you’re worth the wait.”

 

“Thanks Gabe,” Sam said.  He knew the other man was right.  If he’d gotten Gabe draped all over him, he would have been screaming out for the other man to just fuck him right then and there.  “Sorry.”

 

Gabe’s foot smacked into his shin and Sam choked a little in surprise at the soft kick.  “Stop apologizing, kiddo,” Gabe said firmly. “I am absolutely okay with this.” He leaned in a gave a quick, smacking kiss to Sam’s forehead before settling back onto his side of the bed.  “Go to sleep—we have all weekend to get ourselves in trouble.”

 

Sam smiled and let his eyes drift close.  Their hands were still linked together and the light contact was comforting.  He could hear Gabriel’s breathing evening out as he drifted off to sleep. The last thought that crossed Sam’s mind as sleep overtook him, was that he could get used to sharing a bed with this man.  And it made him more than a little nervous.

* * *

 

 

Gabriel shifted as he slowly regained consciousness.  His body was practically wrapped around someone else and it took him a moment to remember the previous day, and more importantly,  _ Sam _ .  He blinked sleepily and moved his head ever so slightly to look up into his sleeping companion’s face.  Sam seemed to be totally out, and Gabriel bit his lip in thought before deciding ‘the hell with it,’ and snuggling in closer to Sam’s side.

 

He had just found the perfect position where he was both comfortable  _ and  _ touching just about every inch of Sam’s incredible body when his eyes flew open.  Shit. It was Thursday! That meant that the rest of his family would be arriving sometime today.  Gabriel let out a (very manly) whine and buried his head into Sam’s neck.

 

“Are you okay?” Gabe lifted his head at the sound of Sam’s amused tone.  Gabriel put his head back down, pressing his face to Sam’s chest, his voice muffled.  “What?”

 

“I said, ‘They’re Coming,’” Gabe looked up at him.

 

“Who?”

 

“Anna.  And my other brothers,” Gabriel sounded exhausted.  “They’re all arriving today. And we’ll have to do the bachelor party crap together and,” Gabe cut himself off with an overly dramatic groan that made Sam chuckle.

 

“They can’t be that bad,” Sam said, his body shaking with laughter at Gabe’s antics.

 

He twisted himself to give Sam a glare that held no heat whatsoever.  “Just you wait,” Gabriel told him. “Michael will probably grill you and your brother on anything he can think of.  Luci will hit on you—that’s definitely going to happen. And Anna will be…well, actually she’ll probably be fine. But still.  Today is going to suck.” His usually sunny disposition was nowhere to be seen and he found himself getting angry that his siblings never failed to put him in a sour mood.

 

“You really think your brother is going to hit on me?” Sam said skeptically.

 

Gabriel nodded.  “Oh yeah. If you’re hot—he wants to get it.  And kiddo,  you’re  _really_ hot!”

 

“Thanks, I guess,” Sam said.  He pulled Gabriel closer and placed a kiss on the top of his head, which Gabe had to admit was very nice.  “But I’m going to stick with you, if that’s okay?” Sam’s eyes twinkled. “You think you can run him off if he gets too forward?”

 

“I will stab him the second he grabs your ass,” Gabriel’s tone was firm.

 

“Possessive much?” Sam laughed into Gabe’s hair.  He growled in response and wrapped his arms around Sam’s waist even tighter.  “Good to know,” was all Sam said.

 

They were just settling into each other and Gabe had decided to go in for a morning kiss, despite not brushing his teeth yet, when Sam’s phone rang loudly from the table near the door.  Sam grunted and pulled away, rolling out of bed. Gabriel wasn’t ashamed to admit that he ogled a little as Sam went to retrieve his phone.

 

He zoned out a bit as Sam answered the call and sunk down onto the end of the bed.  Gabriel clicked his tongue for a moment, thinking, before he hopped up and shimmied down toward Sam.  He slid his arms around Sam’s shoulders, running his palms along the younger man’s chest muscles and pressed his body into Sam’s back. 

 

Bending his head, he pressed feather light kisses to Sam’s shoulder and neck from behind, laughing to himself as the other man sputtered a little during his conversation.  From the side he could hear, it was clear that Sam was speaking to his brother and Gabriel was feeling playful. He was fine with going slow, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to tempt the kid a little.

 

Sam made a choked sound as Gabe licked a strip up the side of his neck with a grin.  “Great, we’ll see you then,” Sam practically shouted into the phone before hanging up and whirling on him.  “What are you doing?” his eyes were blown wide, but he didn’t look angry.

 

Gabe sat back on his heels and smirked.  “Torturing you,” he said happily.

 

“It worked,” Sam laughed.  “Dean asked me why my voice was weird, so he probably caught on to that.  I thought this was going to be a secret?”

 

“It is,” Gabe reassured him.  “Your brother is so caught up in  _ my  _ brother, that we could probably fuck on the dance floor at the reception and Dean still wouldn’t figure it out.”

 

Sam seemed to consider that for a moment before saying, “That’s kind of disturbing.”

 

Running his hands back along Sam’s shoulders, Gabriel moved so that he was almost next to the other man.  “I gave you a goodnight kiss,” he said. “Now give me a morning one.”

 

“I haven’t brushed my teeth,” Sam said.

 

“I don’t care,” Gabe shot back.  He laughed as Sam spun around, grabbing his biceps and pushing him back onto the bed.  Soon enough he was pinned down beneath the younger man and being kissed to within an inch of his life.  Considering that Gabe was usually the one in charge during his bedroom excursions, it felt pretty amazing to be slightly man-handled for once in his life.

 

His arms were up over his head, Sam holding both of his wrists with one hand—which was ridiculously hot—and Gabe was loving every second of it.  He could feel that Sam was half-hard by their impromptu make-out session and he took advantage by pushing his hips up into Sam’s groin. He was rewarded with a strained gasp from Sam’s lips and another forceful kiss.  In an instant, Sam’s body was gone and Gabe blinked for a minute before turning to look at the man gasping next to him on the bed. “Wow kiddo,” he said. “If that’s you going slow, then sign me the fuck up.”

 

“I got carried away,” Sam admitted, looking over at him shyly.

 

“Not a problem for me,” Gabriel said.  “Are you all right?”

 

“I’m good,” Sam breathed. “But I really want more.  A lot more.”

 

Gabe leaned over and kissed Sam’s cheek with a little force.  “Hold that thought,” he said.  “Let’s just get today over with, and if you’re still all revved up tonight, we can see where things go.”

 

“That sounds good,” Sam said after a beat.  “Dean said that he and Cas are headed over to our parent’s house.  He asked me to bring you by because he wants to talk to you about the bachelor parties tonight.  I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” he fixed Gabe with a look.

 

Gabriel pointed to himself and tried to look as innocent as possible.  “Do you think that your brother and I would really conspire to ruin Cassie’s fun?”

 

“Yes,” Sam said firmly.  “I do.”

 

“Damn, kiddo,” Gabe laughed.  “It’s been a day and you already know me too well.”

 

“About five minutes after we met, you showed me that chocolate dick you bought for him.  And after meeting Cas, I can definitely see that he’s going to be horrified by your gift,” Sam was trying not to laugh.  “So, yeah—safe to say that you and my brother together will probably end up with Cas being upset and Dean groveling and  _ you  _ laughing at them.”

 

Gabe nodded.  “That is very true.  And an excellent deduction on your part.”  He rolled up and popped out of the bed. “We should get going then.”

 

Sam chuckled at him for a bit, shaking his head.  “Big brothers suck,” he said finally.

 

“We do our best,” Gabe wiggled his eyebrows.

 

He watched as Sam stood and began to pull the blankets up, essentially making the bed, which Gabriel thought was an odd thing to do at a hotel.  “Dean also mentioned that the rest of your siblings were all flying in around the same time, so they were going to rent a car and drive to Lawrence together.  I think that they’re coming over to my parent’s house after they check into their rooms here.”

 

Gabe made a low rumbling noise and busied himself trying to pick out some clean clothes for the day.  “Maybe we can duck out before they show up,” Gabe suggested casually.

 

“No way,” Sam told him.  “Dean will kill me if I blow off whatever he has planned for the weekend.  And I’m sure that your brothers and sister will want to see you.” He growled again, which made Sam laugh.  “You’re pretty cute when you’re pouting.”

 

“I’m not pouting.”

 

“You  _ so  _ are.”

 

“Fine,” Gabe finally said.  “I’m pouting. I just really don’t want to deal with them.”

 

“I’ll be there,” Sam smiled at him.  “If it gets too awful, then I promise that no matter what Dean thinks, we can leave and go do something on our own.  Okay?”

 

“Okay,” Gabriel said after a moment.  “Thanks, kiddo.”

 

“What are boyfriends for?” Sam said.  As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he snapped his lips shut and went bright red, his face a true expression of horror.  Gabriel couldn’t help the sly smirk that spread across his own lips, watching the kid try to backtrack. “I mean, I didn’t mean,” Sam stuttered.  “I meant ‘friends,’” he tried. “We’re friends now, I think. What are  _ friends  _ for? Right?  That’s a thing, isn’t it?” 

 

He was about to cut in and stop Sam from having a complete meltdown, when the kid spun on his heels and bolted into the bathroom.  Gabe let himself have a quick laugh at the entire situation before going over and knocking on the closed door. “Go away,” Sam’s voice carried out to him.

 

“Um, no!” Gabriel said, pushing the door open a crack.  Sam was leaning against the edge of the counter, his face in his hands, mumbling something.  “Hey,” Gabe stepped into the bathroom and walked right up to Sam. He gently pulled the other man’s hands down and waited until Sam finally made eye contact with him.  “So,” he said, trying to sound indifferent. “You’re panicking.” Inside, his heart was hammering in his chest and he was pushing down a huge smile.

 

“Yeah,” Sam eyed him.

 

“I hate to break it to you, but you’re the only one freaking out about you using that word,” Gabriel told him.  “I don’t mind—honestly. I kind of…liked it. A lot.”

 

“It just slipped out,” Sam said.

 

“That’s okay,” Gabe said, trying not to show his disappointment.  “We all make mistakes.”

 

Sam tilted his head.  “It wasn’t a mistake,” he said finally.  “I just didn’t want to scare you off.”

 

Reaching up and chucking his thumb under Sam’s chin, Gabe made sure that they were looking right at one another before he spoke.  “I’m not scared of you.”

 

“So, you’re not freaked out?” Sam sounded so nervous, it was endearing.

 

“No!” Gabe almost shouted.  “I said I liked it. If that’s where you think this is heading, then I couldn’t be happier.  I mean it, kiddo.”

 

Sam’s blush returned and he shifted a little.  “I mean, yeah,” he said. “That’s kind of what I’m hoping for.  But it’s really soon—so maybe, not yet. I didn’t mean to just blurt that out like an idiot.  But…that  _ is  _ what I want.  Eventually.”

 

“Okay,” Gabe said, trying not to bounce around in a sickening display of happy dancing.  “I am on board with that. Eventually.” He gave what he hoped was a soothing pat to Sam’s hip and tried to smile.  “That’s out of the way then,” he commented. “Get ready and we can head out to meet the firing squad.”

 

Sam’s embarrassment seemed to have ebbed enough and he smiled down at Gabriel.  “It’s not going to be that bad.”

 

He held up a finger and shook his head with a wry smile.  “Just you wait, kiddo.” He turned and left the bathroom, giving Sam some privacy.  Gabe dressed quickly, making sure that he looked put together, because he knew that Michael would comment on his clothes, most likely in a condescending manner.

 

When Sam came back into the room, he hopped into the bathroom to do his own thing while Sam got dressed.  As he brushed his teeth with a little more force than necessary, Gabriel couldn’t help but think that something was going to go terribly wrong this weekend.  He hadn’t been expecting a good time when he arrived at the airport yesterday. Meeting Sam had brought up his spirits enough to push down the feeling of dread, but now it was back in full force—and Gabriel didn’t like how it felt one bit.

    


* * *

 

 

After a minor debate as to whether they should call Dean for a ride or call a car service, Sam relented and ordered an Uber to meet them at the hotel.  They didn’t have to wait long on the curving drive in front of the place before a bright red hatchback pulled up to meet them, causing Sam to grimace. “Um, do you mind if I sit up front?” Sam turned to Gabe with a guilty look.

 

The shorter man looked at him in confusion before he broke into a huge grin.  “You won’t fit in the back, will you?”

 

“No.”

 

“That’s hilarious.”

 

“Shut up,” Sam said without heat.  “Do you mind, or not?”

 

“Could we strap you to the roof?” Gabriel was full on laughing now.

 

“I hate you,” Sam said, finally chuckling himself.

 

“Go on, kiddo,” Gabe said, popping into the backseat with a chuckle.  “I’ll survive without you for a few miles.”

 

Sam wanted to sink into the front seat and disappear when he crawled in and saw the driver.  “Sarah?” he asked, hoping that he was mistaken.

 

“Sam,” the Uber driver smiled.  “You’re back in town?”

 

“Yeah, my brother’s getting married,” Sam discreetly looked over his shoulder, watching Gabriel buckle in as he eyed them both.

 

“You seem to know everyone in town, Sam,” Gabe said, trying not to laugh.

 

Thankfully, the drive didn’t take long, and soon enough they pulled up to Sam’s childhood home.  He said a quick goodbye to Sarah who wiggled her fingers at him as she drove off. “Friend of yours?” Gabe was standing behind him on the curb, shaking with the effort of controlling his amusement.

 

“One night stand during a Thanksgiving break while I was in my undergrad,” Sam said through gritted teeth.

 

Gabriel shrugged, as though he honestly couldn’t give a shit, and said, “She’s cute.  And she didn’t seem to be psychotic like that bitch who checked us in yesterday.”

 

“No,” Sam said, relieved that Gabe was taking this so well.  If the situations had been reversed, he would have been seething with jealousy.  “She definitely isn’t like Amelia.” He turned to Gabe as they walked up to the front door.  “You’ll be excited to know that Amelia isn’t even the craziest ex I’ve had either.”

 

“I sense a story,” Gabriel said, pressing the doorbell.

 

“Oh, it’s a story all right,” Sam agreed.  “But not one you’ll get out of me without a  _ lot  _ of alcohol.”

 

“Fair enough,” Gabriel put on a rather fake looking smile as the door swung open to reveal Mary.

 

She gave Sam a half-hearted hug and gestured for them to come inside.  “I was just bringing some coffee and cinnamon rolls out to the boys,” she said as they followed her toward the kitchen.  Sam could see Dean and their father in the living room. The television was on, but they didn’t seem to be paying any attention to it.  He assumed that Cas was with them, although he couldn’t see his brother’s fiancé.

 

The smell of breakfast pastries was thick in the kitchen.  Sam wandered into the room while Gabe simply leaned on the doorjamb and watched.  Mary pulled a large batch of cinnamon rolls from the oven and set them on a potholder on the counter.  “Would you mind taking some coffee in for you father and Dean?” she asked Sam, not making eye contact.

 

“Sure, mom,” Sam said as he began to pull mugs out of the cupboards and line them up on a tray.  When he chanced a glance up, he saw Gabe frowning at him slightly. He tilted his head in a silent question, but Gabriel just looked away and didn’t say anything.

 

After a minute, Gabe wandered over toward him and started to fill the mugs that Sam had set out.  He frowned as he watched the shorter man eye his mother on the other side of the kitchen. “Exactly why can’t Dean and your dad get their own coffee?” Gabe said in a sharp whisper.

 

Sam shrugged.  “They just don’t,” he replied in an equally low voice.  “Its fine—I don’t mind helping out.”

 

Gabe just snorted, but he didn’t press.  By the time Mary came over to put a large plate of fresh rolls on their tray, he’d managed to plaster on a semblance of a happy expression.  Sam thought it looked completely forced, but his mother didn’t seem to think anything was wrong. When she walked away, Gabriel slid in front of him and scooped up the heavily laden tray with one hand.  “Allow me, kiddo.”

 

Sam watched as Gabriel carried the food and drinks into the living room and for the first time in his life, he began to wonder why he was always the one serving his brother and father.  Maybe Gabe was on to something. Dean was perfectly capable of helping himself. And technically, Dean lived in town; if anything  _ Sam  _ was more of a guest, considering he’d travelled halfway across the country for this wedding.

 

He scratched the back of his neck and pushed the rebellious thoughts from his mind.  This was just how things worked in the Winchester household. Dean was the favorite, and Sam was okay with that.  He trailed into the living room and took a seat on the couch next to Gabriel. As conversation flowed around them about the evening’s activities, including the bachelor parties, Sam found himself pressing his thigh to Gabriel’s, desperate for some contact from the other man.

 

As though he could read Sam’s mind, Gabriel pushed back, even going so far as to brush their arms together as well.  Sam figured that they could get away with it, seeing as they were sharing the sofa with Castiel and space was tight. No one seemed to notice that Gabe was almost in his lap as the morning went on—they were all focused on the upcoming nuptials. 

 

The loud clang of the doorbell echoed through the house, and out of the corner of his eye, Sam saw Gabriel wince.  “That will be our siblings,” Cas said, standing up and heading toward the front of the house.

 

“Great,” Gabe grimaced.  Sam reached over and subtly took his hand for a brief moment.  To his dismay, Gabriel only gave his fingers a quick squeeze before letting go and following Cas to the front door.  Sam followed, hovering behind them. He was beginning to wonder how bad the Novak siblings could actually be.


	5. Are You Fucking Kidding Me?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Sam's past comes back to haunt him in the most awkward of ways, some sexy times ensue, and Gabriel is forced to sit on Sam's lap.
> 
> There is some NSFW action in this chapter.
> 
> I have most of the rest of this planned out (not major details, just a few plot points and I think I figured out the amount of chapters...we'll see). BUT--Good News! Today is April 1st which is the first day of Camp NaNoWriMo 2019 so hopefully I will be able to get a lot of writing done this month, which means more chapters for all of you lovelies! :)

Everyone crowded into the narrow front hallway as Cas opened the door.  Three people were standing on the steps, and all of them looked as though they didn’t really want to be there.  Gabe noticed that Sam and Dean gave Cas a funny look when instead of hugging his siblings, they all shook hands in a rather impersonal manner.

 

Michael entered the Winchester house first, his expensive outfit and dark hair, perfectly styled.  He managed to smile at Castiel and offer congratulations on the upcoming wedding before turning to be introduced to the rest of the family.  Gabriel hovered near the back of the group with Sam, trying to figure out the best way to approach his siblings. He had always got along the best with Cas, and Anna was usually fine—but Michael and Lucifer were another story.  The three of them had always clashed, just enough to be annoying.

 

Anna joined them, her red hair flashing.  She was polite, and her smile looked the most genuine out of all the Novaks, for which Gabriel was grateful.  He knew that Castiel was just as nervous about this little reunion as he was. When Lucifer stepped into the house, he made some obligatory comments to the Winchesters about how ‘lovely’ their home was, and Gabe felt Sam’s whole body go rigid next to him.

 

He looked up and saw that Sam’s mouth was set in a grim line and he couldn’t seem to tear his eyes away from Gabe’s older brother.  That was weird. The rest of the family began to move toward the living room, where Mary was announcing that she still had plenty of coffee for everyone.  Gabe didn’t move from his spot though, and stood by Sam’s side as the others shuffled past them.

 

As Lucifer came level with them, the tall blonde man looked up and fixed both him and Sam with a look.  Surprise flashed across his face for a split second, before Lucifer regained his composure at the sight of them.  He completely ignored Gabriel, which wasn’t unexpected, and fixed his cold blue eyes on Sam.

 

“Samuel,” Lucifer smiled at him with a predatory gleam that put Gabe’s senses on edge.  He did  _ not  _ like how his older brother was looking at Sam.  Not at all. “What a pleasant surprise.”

 

“Luke?” Sam’s voice was strained as he stared at Gabriel’s brother.  “You’re brothers?” he pointed between Lucifer and Gabe. “You’re  _ his _ brother?”

 

“Yeah, Luci and Mike are twins.  They’re the oldest,” Gabriel said, his nose wrinkling in confusion.  “You obviously know each other,” he said, glancing between Sam and his older sibling.

 

“You could say that,” Lucifer smiled darkly.

 

“Uh,” Sam said, grabbing Gabe’s hand.  “We should go and—get something to drink,” he yanked Gabe toward the kitchen with no explanation.  “Nice to meet you!” Sam called over his shoulder.

 

“What the hell?” Gabriel asked as he was dragged into the empty kitchen.  “How do you know my brother?”

 

“We work at the same law firm,” Sam said, his eyes wide.  “He’s one of the partners, and I’m just a lower level guy since I’m new.”

 

Gabriel hummed.  “Small world.”

 

“I didn’t  _ think _ ,” Sam’s voice was bordering on a wail.  “You have the  _ same _ last name, and I didn’t freaking put it together!  You  _ said _ that your brother’s name was  _ Lucifer _ !  Not Luke!  How could I have known that?  But you have the same last  _ fucking _ name!  You even  _ told  _ me on the plane that your brother was a lawyer!  How did I not put that together?”

 

“Calm down,” Gabriel said, pulling Sam further into the corner.  “What the hell are you so worked up about?”

 

Sam’s whole body slumped and Gabriel narrowed his eyes.  He didn’t like that look on the kid’s face—not at all. After an almost endless silence, Sam looked at him with flat out terror in his eyes.  “I may have, um,” he paused. “I sort of  _ slept _ with him at the holiday party for the firm last year.”  It came out in a rush, as though if Sam said it fast enough, Gabriel wouldn’t hear him.

 

His whole body stilled and he raised his eyebrows.  Gabe knew that if he didn’t say something soon, Sam might actually bolt, which wouldn’t be good for anyone.  “Okay,” he said after a second. “You and Luci,” he trailed off, rolling the idea around in his mind. It made him see red, but he tamped down his natural instinct to punch his brother in the face.  “Super dupes,” was all he could come up with.

 

“Oh, fuck,” Sam looked so distraught.  “I just ruined everything because I got drunk at a fucking office party!  Fuck! I’m so sorry!”

 

“Woah,” Gabe interrupted, grabbing onto Sam’s waving hands and pulling him close.  “Back up.” He waited until Sam stopped moving and looked at him. “You didn’t  _ ruin  _ anything.  We didn’t know each other a year ago.”  Gabriel sucked in a breath and steeled himself.  “I can’t say that I’m  _ excited  _ about the fact that my brother was with you, but I can deal.  Just give me a second to chill out enough that I’m not going to punch him in the dick, okay?”

 

Gabriel ground his teeth and tried not to show that his entire body was basically shaking with rage.  He didn’t want to frighten Sam with his less than stellar temper—he’d run off lovers in the past when they finally saw him truly angry.  And right now, he was just about as pissed off as he could be. Fucking Luci. Of  _ course  _ he’d slept with Sam.  Sam, who Gabriel was pretty sure he never wanted to let go of.  Sam, who was tall and sexy and sort of adorable and  _ perfect _ , in Gabe’s mind.  He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, cracking his neck before looking up to see Sam watching him uneasily.

 

He forced himself to attempt a smile.  “Well,” Gabriel said, a little too brightly.  “At least I don’t have to worry about him hitting on you now.”

 

“Why?” Sam looked incredibly nervous, as though Gabe might snap at any moment.

 

“Luci never plays with anyone more than once,” he said darkly.  “He’s already tapped you, so he won’t bother us now.” Gabriel huffed and shut his eyes, rubbing his temple.  “I’m sorry,” he said. “That was rude.”

 

“It’s true though,” Sam said.  “I’ve worked there long enough to know that he has…commitment issues.”

 

“That’s one way of putting it,” Gabriel said, finally looking up at Sam again.

 

“I’m really sorry about this,” Sam apologized again.

 

“Stop,” Gabriel was firm.  “Don’t do that anymore. I’m not mad—at  _ you _ .  At Luci?  Yeah, a little.”

 

Sam actually quirked a smile at that.  “You  _ did  _ say that it was fine because we didn’t know each other then,” he reminded Gabe.

 

“That doesn’t apply to  _ brothers _ ,” Gabriel explained in his own twisted logic.  “He should have taken _ one _ look at you and known to keep his hands off of my boy.”

 

“Right?” Sam actually laughed.  “Because he’s a psychic?”

 

“More like a psycho,” Gabe muttered darkly.

 

Sam pulled him close, wrapping his arms around Gabe’s body and he couldn’t help but sink into the warmth and comfort of the taller man.  Gabriel nuzzled his face to Sam’s chest and tightened his own hold on the man he was absolutely falling for.

 

“What can I do?” Sam asked quietly.

 

Gabriel tilted his head and looked up at Sam.  His face was screwed up in thought for a while before he said, “I know we were going to slow down but,” he paused.  “Do you trust me?”

 

He could tell the moment that Sam realized what he was asking.  The taller man gave him a soft, caring smile and nodded. “Yeah, I do.” 

 

Before Gabriel could say anything more, Sam was pulling him down the hall and toward the stairs.  They tripped upstairs, Sam gripping his hand so tight that Gabe actually flinched a little. When they reached the top, Sam yanked him down the hall to one of the rooms and pushed him inside, shutting the door behind them.  They were in a bedroom done in mostly shades of blue. There was a desk covered in old muscle car magazines in the corner and a few posters of girls in bikinis pinned to the wall with thumb tacks. Gabe gave Sam a questioning look which received a laugh.  “This is Dean’s room,” Sam said.

 

Gabriel actually looked sort of shocked and a little upset.  “So? Why couldn’t your parents have let you stay here?” He held up his hands.  “Not that I’m complaining—I like having you in my bed. But really?”

 

Sam’s laugh was strained.  “Because,” he said firmly. “This is  _ Dean’s  _ room.  They would have never even thought to offer it, even if Dean doesn’t live here anymore.  That’s just…how my family is.”

 

“Damn, kiddo,” Gabriel said sadly.  He moved toward Sam, reaching out for him.

 

Sam let Gabe grab his arm and pull him close, but he immediately shook his head.  “I’m fine. I am completely used to this—and right now, I want to make  _ you  _ feel better.  So stop giving me that pouting face,” Sam chuckled a bit.

 

Gabe snorted.  He used that pout to his advantage on numerous occasions, and no one had ever really called him out on the manipulation before.  “Fine. But I’m not done with this subject by a long shot. I’ll let it go…for now.”

 

“That’s all I ask,” Sam said, running his large palm down Gabriel’s spine and pressing their chests close.

 

Sam initiated the kiss and it was just a simple touch, but that wasn’t what Gabe wanted at all.  Now that he knew Lucifer was probably downstairs remembering what Sam looked like naked, he had an unshakable urge to stake his own claim on this amazing man.  He pushed forward, lifting himself up and practically attacking Sam with his fervent onslaught. To Sam’s credit, he seemed to completely understand, and he met Gabe with all the force that the smaller man was silently asking for.

 

Gabriel’s hands clamped down on Sam’s face, pulling him closer before he moved from lips to the taller man’s neck.  He had no qualms about sucking deeply into Sam’s skin, leaving behind a dark, and rather large hickey, where it wouldn’t be very possible for Sam to conceal the mark.  Yeah, they’d wanted to keep things under wraps, but that was before Lucifer showed up with that smug look and the pointed glances. Gabriel was leaving a mark, and that was that.  A mark that he specifically wanted to say ‘Back off Lucifer!’

 

For his part, Sam didn’t seem to mind, going so far as to tilt his head, giving Gabe easier access.  They stumbled a bit backwards towards the bed, maintaining contact the entire time. Gabe’s legs hit the mattress and Sam pressed his shoulders just enough that he ended up flopping backward with Sam looming over him.

 

Before Gabriel could open his mouth, Sam was kneeling between his legs, fingers fumbling with Gabe’s golden belt buckle.  “Woah,” Gabe managed to choke out, just before Sam’s hand slid into his underwear.

 

“You don’t get to stop me,” Sam looked up at him saucily.  “I want to do this for you, Gabe.”

 

All he could do was nod.  Sam grinned and pawed at his already hard dick, carefully pulling Little Gabriel out of his pants.  Sam’s palm curled around him, stroking lightly--enough for sensations, but not enough to be painful.  Sam’s fingers ran over his tip and Gabe hissed in a breath. “Fuck, kiddo!”

 

In an instant, Sam’s head was bent and his mouth was on him, pulling him in, sucking him down and Gabriel saw stars.  He actually had to pinch himself and shake his head. Who saw stars from one little deep-throat? He felt like a freaking teenager, and that was almost pathetic, considering how old he actually was.

 

Reaching up with one hand, Gabriel tried to steady himself by grabbing at Sam’s hair.  He made sure that his grip wasn’t too tight, but he also wanted Sam to know he was there.  Another deep pull into Sam’s hot mouth had Gabe scooting his hips forward on the bed. He was doing his best to keep his groans down, which was torture.  Normally, he was pretty vocal in bed, and knowing that he couldn’t scream out Sam’s name almost pissed him off.

 

He fisted his hand into Sam’s hair and bit back another moan.  Sam’s tongue played with his tip, while his deft fingers fondled Gabriel’s sac.  Every time that Sam took him in and hummed around his cock, Gabe was sure that he was going to come.  He was so close after only moments. Finally giving up, Gabriel decided that he didn’t give a fuck and that he just wanted to feel good.  He bit his lip as Sam’s mouth skillfully played him. When he knew that he was close, he told his lover, who only gave a short nod and began to suck in earnest.

 

He was spilling hot cum into Sam’s throat within seconds, reveling in the fact that the younger man was swallowing him dry.  Even as his left hand ran through Sam’s hair, petting him, Gabriel’s right was fisted into his teeth, biting off his urge to shout in ecstasy.  When he finally stopped shaking, Sam lavished his dick long enough to make sure that Gabe was remotely cleaned up before sitting back on his heels and smiling up at him.

 

“I can’t believe you did that,” Gabe breathed.

 

“You taste good,” Sam commented.  “Sweet.”

 

“I eat a lot of sugar.”

 

“I like it.”

 

They eyed one another for a moment, Sam still kneeling and Gabe’s soft prick still exposed.  Seeming to realize how awkward their positions were at the same time, Sam stood up quickly, and Gabe hurriedly stuffed himself back into his boxers.  Once his pants were zipped and buckled up once more, Gabriel stood up and made an odd little move, as though he was going in for a hug. At the same time, Sam leaned down for a kiss.  His lips landed in Gabe’s hair and they both laughed, the tension easing.

 

“Are we...okay?” Sam said.  “I just,” he shuffled his feet.  “I really like you--you know that.  And I’d hate it if this whole thing between me and your brother ruined what  _ we _ have.”

 

“You seem to have a lot of exes lying around,” Gabe said, trying to sound casual and teasing.

 

Sam snorted.  “They don’t usually pop up this often.  I swear,” he held up his fingers in a Boy Scout Salute. 

 

“I’ll admit, the others were a little funny,” Gabe said.  “ _ This one… _ I’m  _ sort of _ freaked out by.”  He looked up at Sam.  “I’ll get over it though, kiddo.  Just give me a second, okay? As far as I’m concerned, nothing is  _ ruined _ .  Especially after a blow job like that.  So don’t beat yourself up.”

 

“I’ll try not to.” Sam leaned in for a quick kiss.

 

Someone pounded hard on the door to the bedroom and they both started.  “Sammy, what the hell man?” Dean’s voice came through. The handle rattled, as the older Winchester tried to get inside.  “You better not be screwing on my bed.” The tone was joking, but both Sam and Gabe winced at the insinuation—mostly because that was  _ exactly  _ what they’d been doing.

 

“Dean, no!” Sam lied.  “We’re  _ talking _ about something.”

 

“Just talking,” Gabe called out looking slightly panicked.  

 

Sam swatted his shoulder.  “Dean,” he called out. “Just…go.  We’ll be down in a minute.”

 

“Hurry up,” Dean called through the door.  “I think the Novaks are having some sort of family meeting and they’re wondering where Gabe is.”

 

They could hear Dean’s footsteps trail off down the hallway.  Gabriel looked up at Sam in confusion. “What the hell would they want  _ me  _ for?”

 

“They’re probably trying to figure out the bachelor parties tonight,” Sam said.

 

“Ah, fuck,” Gabe huffed.  He  _ really  _ didn’t want to spend all night hanging out with his family.  “Maybe I’ll come crash Dean’s party and see what you’re up to?”

 

“Cas would be sad.”

 

“Cas doesn’t have emotions.”

 

Sam laughed.  “He’s not a cyborg.”

 

“He’s pretty close,” Gabe laughed.  “Trust me. My family is full of whackos--Cassie included.”

 

“I hope Dean knows what he’s getting into,” Sam pecked him on the corner of the mouth one last time before opening the door.  Their moment of solitude with just one another was over. It was time for Gabriel to deal with the rest of the Novaks, no matter how much he wanted to balk.

 

* * *

 

Sam had been right.  Planning for the evening’s activities was in full swing when he and Gabriel finally wandered back to the living room.  He tried to slide into conversation with his brother, while ignoring the knowing smirk he was getting from Luke across the room.  Lucifer. Lucifer Novak. He had been an idiot to sleep with his superior in the first place. Despite Gabriel’s reassurances, Sam was still worried that Luke was going to do or say something that would bring his newly formed ‘relationship’ to its knees.

 

He tried to concentrate on his brother, making sure to nod in the correct places.  It seemed to work. “Awesome,” Dean smiled.

 

_ Shit...what had he agreed to? _  Sam tried to smile back, hoping that he hadn’t said he would rob a liquor store or something just as stupid.  “So we’ll meet Benny and the girls later tonight,” Dean continued. “You remember our bar, yeah?” Sam breathed a sigh of relief and nodded.  Just drinks. Thank fuck. “I guess you have the rest of the day free, if you want?”

 

“Where’s Hael and Mikey Jr?” Sam heard Gabriel ask abruptly.

 

“Hael was tired and wanted to rest.  You know that my wife doesn’t like to travel.  I sent them ahead to the hotel to make sure that our accommodations were ready for us,” Michael’s tone was grave.

 

“And Mikey wanted to use the pool,” Anna smiled at her brothers.

 

“Well,” Michael shifted his feet.  “He  _ is  _ a child.”

 

“Which is a perfectly acceptable thing to be,” Gabe said, giving his eldest brother a poke in the arm.  Sam looked over at Gabriel oddly. That was kind of a weird comment. Did the Novak family think that  _ children  _ were something to be embarrassed by?  Sam knew that he may have grown up feeling as though his parents didn’t love him as much as Dean, but they never got upset with him for acting like a kid.

 

“I’m pleased to see that you attempted to look like a human being and not a hobo for Castiel’s big weekend,” Michael suddenly turned to Gabriel.

 

“I try,” Gabe made a sarcastic little bow.

 

“I was expecting a t-shirt with an offensive saying on it,” Michael continued.

 

“I do have one with a flamingo on it,” Gabriel said tightly.  “You’d like it. It says, ‘Let’s get flocked up.’”

 

“You’re still a child,” Michael said.  He managed to sound exasperated and fond at the same time.  “Don’t wear that tonight.”

 

The large group milled around the Winchester’s living room for a while longer before the Novaks began to make noises about heading out.  Dean and Gabriel messed around on their phones for a while in the corner as everyone else began to move toward the door. Sam wasn’t sure that he wanted to know what was going on there.  Castiel seemed oblivious, but Sam knew that those two pranksters were scheming about something.

 

Michael had Anna call for a ride, which seemed odd.  It was as though something so mundane was beneath him, and he needed ‘staff’ to do things.  Anna didn’t even hesitate before following his orders, and Sam frowned at the sight. He was also shooting dirty looks at his parents, and he hoped that no one else had noticed.  Mary and John kept telling the Novaks how excited they were to finally meet some of Castiel’s family, and Sam actually felt a little hurt. His parents seemed to be going overboard to welcome the Novaks, and they couldn’t even offer him Dean’s vacant room while he was in town.  It hurt.

 

Figuring he and Gabe could probably slip out as well now that everyone seemed to be leaving, Sam stood up and made his way toward the front door as well.  Dean shot him a confused look, but Sam just shook his head and kept moving. As everyone began to leave, Sam slipped up next to Gabe’s side and instinctively placed his hand on the smaller man’s lower back.  Gabe’s head shot up and he looked at Sam questioningly. “Sorry,” Sam whispered, taking his palm away.

 

“I didn’t say that I didn’t like it,” Gabe said back softly.  “I just didn’t expect that.”

 

“Old habits, I guess,” Sam said.

 

Both of them stepped a bit apart when they noticed that Lucifer was eyeing them.  Once outside, a car pulled up within moments, since it had been ordered earlier. Without a word, Michael climbed into the front seat by the driver and slammed the door behind him.  Sam gave Gabriel a questioning look, but it was ignored. 

 

The rest of them moved to the car and Sam actually saw it on Gabe’s face when it occurred to him that there wasn’t enough room in the backseat.  Gabe’s head swiveled to look up at Sam, his jaw set. They both heard Lucifer chuckle over the top of the car as he held the door open for Anna.  “Sam, you’re more than welcome to come sit on my lap for the ride,” Lucifer winked at him.

 

Next to him, Gabriel’s entire body went rigid and Sam could almost see the smaller man vibrate with anger.  Before Gabe could say anything to his brother, Sam placed his arm around Gabe’s shoulders and pulled him close.  “I’m good over here,” he said. “Gabe can sit on  _ my  _ lap.”

 

“Yeah,” Gabriel growled, glaring at Lucifer.  “Wait? What?” He looked up at Sam in slight horror.  “No!”

 

“Sorry,” Sam said, even as he smiled.  He moved around Gabriel and squeezed into the back next to Anna.  Once situated, he looked up at Gabe and patted his knee.

 

“I’m not going to do this,” Gabe hissed through his teeth.

 

“You don’t have much of a choice,” Sam pointed out.  “Come on, it’s only a few miles. No one cares.”

 

“Make sure you don’t grind on Sam too much, brother,” Lucifer drawled from across the car.

 

Gabe looked like he might snap, and Sam turned bright red, while Michael piped up from the front.  “Gabriel, we don’t have time for your dramatics. Get in the car now!”

 

There was a lot of grumbling and Sam caught the word, ‘fuck,’ about twelve times as Gabe climbed in and fumbled around as he crawled up onto Sam’s lap.  “This is fucking humiliating,” Gabe muttered. “Why can’t Anna sit on someone’s lap?”

 

“Because I was proactive and got into the car before you,” Anna said, shooting him a sly smile.  “And I don’t want to sit on any of my brother’s laps, which means I would have to sit on Sam’s. For some reason, I don’t think that you would appreciate that, Gabriel.”

 

All of the Novaks laughed, while Gabe grumbled again and unconsciously snuggled closer to Sam while crossing his arms over his chest and pouting.  Thankfully, the ride wasn’t very long, however the Novak siblings thought that it was best to pass the time by teasing Gabriel relentlessly. And Lucifer kept asking Sam if he was ‘enjoying’ things, while leering at him, which was making Sam incredibly uneasy.

 

Once they arrived at the hotel, Gabriel shot out of the car, pulling Sam with him.  They left Gabe’s family without a word and raced to their own room, desperate to get away.  The door closed behind them and Sam clicked the security lock into place before turning around to look at Gabe.  “Wow.”

 

“I know.”

 

“Seriously, wow!” Sam said again.

 

“I told you that they’re awful,” Gabe reminded him.

 

“I thought that you said Luke wouldn’t hit on my anymore since…yeah,” Sam asked as he sat on the bed.

 

Gabe plopped down next to him and ran his hands through his hair, making pieces of it stand up.  “I didn’t think he would,” Gabriel admitted. “I shouldn’t underestimate my brother though. Luci is...competitive, to say the least.  And even if he doesn’t actually  _ want  _ to get with you again, he is going to take pleasure in reminding  _ me  _ that he had you first.”  He sighed heavily and Sam felt a wave of guilt.  “I should have seen that coming,” Gabe added.

 

“I’m sorry,” Sam tried.

 

“Knock it off, kiddo,” Gabe told him, bumping into Sam’s shoulder.

 

They sat in silence for a while before Sam shifted and stood up.  “I’m going to take a quick shower,” he said. “Then maybe you and I could wander around town?  Or we can just stay here if you want? Order room service? I think we can connect a Netflix account to the television.”

 

“Whatever you want to do,” Gabriel smiled at him.  Sam knew that it was meant to be reassuring, but Gabriel’s face was tight with emotion and he knew that the shorter man was still thinking about Lucifer.

 

Sam wasn’t sure what to say or do so he just went to the bathroom.  He left the door open a crack as he flicked on the shower and pulled off his clothes.  He had just started to work shampoo into his hair when he heard the door open further. “Hey,” Gabe called.  “Do you mind if I brush my teeth really quick? I have coffee breath and it’s nasty.”

 

“Go for it,” Sam called back.  He could see Gabriel moving around through the frosted glass of the door and Sam bit his lip wishing that Gabe would join him in the shower.  “I’m sorry your family was teasing you,” he finally said.

 

“Whatever,” Gabriel responded, his voice muffled by the toothpaste.  “I’m used to it.” He must have spit into the sink, but Sam could understand him much better that time.  “I’m sorry that your family is nicer to my brothers than they are to you,” Gabe said.

 

Sam was a bit taken aback by the statement.  Apparently Gabriel  _ had  _ noticed the way that his parents treated the Novaks--and he’d seen Sam’s reaction.  “It’s stupid, I know,” Sam said. He tried to concentrate on the soap in his hands but he couldn’t.  “I shouldn’t let it get to me.” He sighed and before he could stop himself, the words came tumbling out.  “I just feel like I’m on the outside with them, you know? I mean, I understand why my mom keeps her distance, but I just wish that my dad didn’t confirm how worthless I am all the time.”  Sam clapped his hand over his mouth and sucked in a breath. Fuck.

 

In an attempt to backtrack, Sam began to sputter.  “I’m okay with it,” he said quickly. “And it’s true--Dean’s a much better son than I am and--”  The door of the shower flew open, and Sam spun, sliding a little in the water. He rubbed his face, trying to wipe away the soap collecting near his eyes.  “What the--”

 

Gabriel was  _ there _ .  His eyes were flashing as he glared at Sam.  And despite how much shorter he was, Gabe’s frame seemed to dominate the space, making Sam do a double take.  “Knock it off,” Gabe said firmly. “You’re  _ not _ worthless and you don’t deserve the way that your family treats you.  Trust me, kiddo--I get it. I’m not wanted either.”

 

Sam melted at the despondent tone in Gabe’s voice.  He wanted to wrap Gabe up in his arms and squeeze him hard enough that Gabriel would  _ know  _ that someone loved him.  Woah--hold up! Love? No way, it was too soon for that.  Sam blinked at Gabe and Gabriel stared back at him. He could feel the water from the shower head sliding down his back and somewhere in his mind, Sam registered that he was naked.  And wet. And covered in soap bubbles.

 

Gabriel seemed to come to the same realization, because his gaze trailed down Sam’s body for a moment before Gabe’s eyes went wide and he started.  “Fuck, I’m sorry!” Gabe slammed the shower door shut the blink of an eye.

 

Sam was dumbfounded.  He stared at the frosted glass for a minute before choking out.  “It’s fine.” He could hear Gabe shuffling around by the sink. 

 

“I have to go,” Gabe shouted over the water.  “We can talk about this later. I’m so sorry I stared at your...yeah.  Anyway, it’s really nice and...fuck.” 

 

The door to the bathroom slammed shut and Gabriel was gone.  Well. That was fucking weird. Sam stepped back into the spray and quickly finished washing.  He wanted to see Gabriel and make sure that they were still doing okay. He’d sort of thought that when Gabe opened the shower that he’d join Sam in the water for a little fun.  But instead, the older man had seemed awkward and upset about seeing Sam in the total buff for the first time. 

 

The thought made him uneasy, and Sam didn’t like the feeling.  He really hoped that he hadn’t done something wrong to mess this up.  He liked Gabe. A lot more than he should in such a short amount of time.  And if the guy was willing to stick with Sam through the likes of Amelia, Madison, Sarah,  _ and _ Gabe’s own fucking brother--then Sam wasn’t about to let him get away.


	6. This Isn't Funny, Dean!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Gabriel ignores the dress code, Dean gets his way through trickery, and Sam is once again traumatized by his past...

When Sam emerged from the bathroom, Gabriel was relieved to see that he was fully dressed.  He’d already embarrassed himself by ogling enough for the day. He also refused to talk with Sam about what had happened in the shower.  Gabriel was a firm believer in denial and he stood by that decision. He wasn’t about to delve into the deep dark feelings of emotional trauma with a man that he wanted to have sex with.  Even if he knew that there was something about Sam that was more than just a quick lay. He was never this patient with his lovers in the past. Hell, two years ago he would have drop kicked the kid at the first mention of ‘slowing down.’

 

Instead of an uncomfortable emotional talk, Gabriel turned on the television and bounced around on the mattress like a kid with a sugar high and begged Sam to snuggle with him.  It was a shameless distraction, and Gabe didn’t give a fuck. Sam seemed perfectly happy about the avoidance if it meant cuddles and Gabriel was going to let it happen.

 

Nothing decent was on, and neither of them wanted to reach for the remote once their bodies were tangled together.  They ended up watching some sort of paranormal reality show that Gabriel was surprised had any viewers, it was so bad.  “‘ _ Ghostfacers?’ _ ” he’d said.  “Never heard of it.  Maybe it’s good.” It wasn’t.  But he stopped paying attention as soon as Sam started kissing him. 

 

They made out lazily for almost an hour, hands sliding along skin, the television humming in the background.  Sam’s shirt was off and both of their belts were undone when the room phone rang shrilly. They both started and Gabe groaned as he rolled off of Sam’s body and flung his arm out to grab the offending call.  “Yeah,” he grunted.

 

“Dude, where are you?” Dean’s voice shouted.

 

“Hold on,” Gabriel said, handing the receiver over to Sam. 

 

“Hello?” Sam looked confused for a moment as he listened before he started to scramble around in the messy blankets looking for something.  “I’m sorry, I forgot to plug it in,” he said.

 

Gabriel snorted and shoved his hand under the pillow they had been sharing, pulling out Sam’s phone.  He smiled when Sam mouthed a thank you at him and poked at the dark screen. “The battery’s dead. I know...I know, Dean,” Sam sighed.  “I’ll be right down. Sorry.” 

 

He handed the room phone back to Gabe who plopped it on the cradle and gave Sam an apologetic look.  “Hate to cut this short, kiddo,” Gabriel said. “But I should get going too.”

 

“Yeah,” Sam seemed distracted for a second before he stood up and grabbed his wallet.  “You’re coming back here tonight, right?”

 

Gabe tilted his head in confusion.  “Um...yes? I mean,” he gestured around them.  “This is technically  _ my _ room.”

 

Sam chuckled.  “Yeah, okay.” He leaned down, bracing his palms on the bed at Gabriel’s sides and gave him a soft, promising kiss.  “Then I’ll see you later.”

 

“Count on it,” Gabe smiled as Sam left their room.  

 

Once the door clicked shut, Gabriel pounced on his suitcase, digging through his belongings as quickly as he could. When he found what he was looking for, Gabe held up the shirt in front of him with a smirk.  Oh, Mikey was going to flip shit when he saw—and Gabe had to admit that he  _ lived _ for that reaction from his oldest sibling. 

 

He whistled a slightly annoying little tune as he changed shirts and checked his hair in the bathroom mirror. He even gave his teeth a quick brush before he decided that it was time to get going before he got the ‘where the fuck are you’ call from Cas.

 

With perfect timing, his Uber arrived just as he walked out of the hotel.  Hilariously, it was Sarah in her tiny red car once again. Gabe ignored protocol and hopped into the front, giving her the address to the upscale restaurant that Castiel had picked for them. 

 

“Where’s your date?” Sarah asked as she pulled away. 

 

“Damn, are we that obvious?” Gabe asked her.  She shrugged and smiled at him. “He’s with his brother. Tonight we’re doing the bachelor parties.  Sam goes with Dean, and I go with the other groom—my baby bro.”

 

“You and Sam?” Sarah barked out a laugh. “And you’re going to be like weird in-laws or something?  That’s hilarious!”

 

“No,” Gabe wagged his finger at her playfully. “No in-laws—no  _ relation _ in  _ any  _ way!  Now,” he smirked at his driver. “I’m going to need some dirt on my boy.  You got any embarrassing Sammy stories for me? I’ll tip well for them.”

 

Sarah’s laugh was loud enough that when they rolled up to the red light, the people in the car next to them stared. Gabriel sat back for the short ride as Sarah gleefully launched into the Sam Winchester Pick-Up Lines that she was privy to.  It was educational to say the least. His sexy lawyer was apparently the most endearing and awkward flirt in the universe. “He was trying  _ so  _ hard,” she said.  “It was almost painful.  But you’ve seen him,” Sarah winked.  “Of course I let the outdated come-ons slide and took him home with me.”

 

“I don’t blame you,” Gabriel said, smiling.  For some reason, the knowledge that Sarah had been a drunken one-off didn’t inspire the waves of jealousy that he was beginning to get used to.

 

When they arrived at their destination, Gabriel kept his word and gave her a decent tip before bouncing up to the restaurant, hoping that the night would go smoothly.  The young lady at the hosting station informed him that the rest of his party was already seated and led him away with a pointed look at his shirt. Now that he saw the place Cas had picked out for dinner, he realized that he was woefully underdressed.  He tried to muster enough emotions to care, and failed. Gabriel wasn’t the type of man that fit in. Even if he had been wearing the correct pants or a tie, he would still stand out. He’d learned that long ago. 

 

As he followed the young hostess between tables, Gabe grimaced a bit when he realized that he was technically running late.  The rest of the Novaks were sitting at an immense circular table in the center of the dining area. They were talking quietly among themselves until Anna glanced up and noticed Gabriel.

 

His siblings turned to stare at him as he walked over and slid into the only empty chair, next to Castiel.  He managed a strained smile when he noticed that his brother’s wife, Hael, as well as Anna were giggling at him behind their hands.  Michael was just outright staring, while Lucifer looked bored. “Gabriel,” Michael hissed. “What would possess you to wear something like that to a place like this?  I know that you were raised to understand a dress code!”

 

“You know me, Mikey,” Gabe picked up his napkin and placed it in his lap.  “I shouldn’t be let outside off leash.”

 

For the first time, Castiel seemed to notice that Gabe was in jeans and a t-shirt while the rest of them were slightly dressed up.  Even Michael Jr, who was only seven, was wearing a small bow tie and a creased button-down shirt. Cas squinted at Gabe, not in anger, but confusion, as he read the words printed on Gabriel’s clothing.   _ ‘Raising Hell Before the Wedding Bells!’ _

 

Gabriel knew that he’d made the right choice--no matter what Michael thought--when Cas’ face cracked into a small smile.  “You never fail to amuse me, Gabriel.”

 

“That’s what I’m here for, bro,” Gabe grinned back at his favorite sibling.  “See,” Gabe couldn’t help himself as he looked at his oldest brother slyly. “Cassie doesn’t care--and he’s the only one who matters this weekend, right?”  Deciding to change the subject, he leaned forward and fixed his young nephew with a look. “How’s the art coming, buddy?”

 

Michael Jr was obsessed with any kind of colorful expression.  He drew, he painted, he collected crayons and colored pencils like a dragon hoarded gold.  It was adorable, and Gabriel was fully supportive of the kid. In a family of ‘real’ grown-ups, he was always looked down on for having a more creative career.  Sure, he wrote articles, but he was still a writer. And he knew that the fact that he had several unfinished original novels on his laptop was no secret to anyone. 

 

Gabe loved seeing the pictures that his nephew had made.  His sister-in-law, Hael would text him the images with regularity and he was grateful for it.  He was still honestly surprised that Hael and Mikey were still together after all of these years.  They were the poster couple for opposites attracting. Gabe was just happy that despite his eldest brother’s serious nature that he was uncharacteristically indulging his son in his artistic pursuits.

 

“It’s excellent,” Michael Jr said in his small voice.  He might be an artist at heart, but he was still his father’s son--the kid spoke as though he was forty, and always had.  “I have a lovely piece of penguins right now. I saw them at the zoo last week.” The child turned to his mother. “Do you have a picture of it?”

 

“Of course, sweetie,” Hael smiled affectionately at her son and produced her cell phone.  She clicked through a few pictures before finding what she was searching for and passing it over to Gabriel.

 

He took the phone and stared at the photo of the crayon drawing on the screen.  There were six circles that were apparently penguins. Some of them had beaks, while others had wings--all of them had demonic looking red eyes.  It was sort of creepy and Gabe thought it was hilarious. He showed the picture to Cas before handing it back. “Looks fantastic,” he commented.

 

“Penguins suck souls from the living,” Michael Jr said in a happy tone.  The adults all looked at one another uneasily and silently decided, as a group, not to comment.  Thankfully someone came to take their order and thoughts of demonic penguins were soon forgotten.

 

When their food arrived and everyone began to exclaim over how delicious it was, Gabriel finally decided that it was time to break the news to Castiel.  “Oh, I almost forgot,” he tried to sound as innocent as possible. “I’ve got a surprise for you after dinner. I’m taking you to this place I heard about.”

 

Cas narrowed his eyes and swallowed his food.  “I told you that I just wanted a nice dinner with family,” he said slowly.

 

Gabe waved his hand.  “Yeah, I know. But trust me, you’re going to love this.  No bachelor party would be complete without it.”

 

“That means strippers,” Lucifer piped up, waving his fork at Castiel.

 

“Count me out,” Anna said.

 

“Gabriel,” Michael rolled his eyes and tried to cover his son’s ears at the mention of exotic dancers.  “You have no taste.”

 

“It’s  _ not  _ strippers,” Gabe shot back.  “ _ Luci _ said strippers, not  _ me _ .  I wouldn’t do that to Cassie!  He’d have a stroke if some scantily clad, muscle-bound man began to grind on him--we all know that!”

 

For a split second, Castiel seemed to look remotely interested.  “Muscles?”

 

Grinning at his little bro, Gabe wiggled his eyebrows.  “And maybe a tiny little pair of silk panties?” Cas’ eyes bugged out.  “You should get a pair for Dean-o,” Gabe couldn’t help pressing his luck.

 

“Gabriel!” Michael snapped, still covering his son’s ears as Michael Jr ignored them and continued to eat his potatoes.

 

“I’m teasing,” Gabe said.  “It’s not strippers--I promise.  It’s just...a little place--family friendly--that I think Cas would enjoy.  I mean,” he snorted. “We have to do  _ something  _ besides dinner for a bachelor party,” Gabriel emphasized his point by gesturing to his t-shirt.

 

“Either way, Hael will be taking Michael Jr back to the hotel,” Michael glanced at his wife who nodded happily, despite being told to miss out on the rest of the evening.

 

“As long as it isn’t too ridiculous and there isn’t any nudity,” Castiel sighed, giving in.

 

“It’ll be great--trust me.”

 

* * *

 

Dean had pretended he was mad when Sam climbed into the Impala earlier, but the facade soon fell as they neared their destination.  When they pulled up at Dean’s favorite bar, Sam was almost amused at how predictable his brother could be. Even the usual suspects were inside waiting for them.  Benny, Charlie and Jo had secured a table and tied one helium balloon to it. For some reason it said, ‘It’s A Boy.’ Apparently Jo had simply grabbed the first balloon she’d seen, not caring about the sentiment.  It was typical.

 

They had drank and ordered way too many appetizers.  Their burgers had been delicious and perfectly cooked--at least, Sam assumed since he’d went for the Southwestern Cobb Salad.  Even the conversations were familiar. Sam wasn’t surprised in the least--Dean didn’t like change. He was happy to stay in their hometown, with the same friends, the same job and the same car.  When the meal was over and Dean had stood up, announcing that they had another stop, Sam didn’t need Charlie’s excited squeal to know exactly where they were headed. Which was why, when they drove past the local strip club, Sam was confused.

 

“Dean?” he said, pointing out of the window at the passing business.  “Um.”

 

Dean barked out a laugh.  “Not tonight, Sammy! We have a date.”

 

“A date?” Sam repeated.  He really fucking hoped that Dean wasn’t trying to set him up with someone for the wedding.  He wouldn’t put it past his older brother. Besides, Sam was taken—at least, he  _ hoped _ that he was taken.  Sam tried not to think of Gabriel for the hundredth time that evening, wondering what kind of trouble he and Cas were getting up to with their family.  “Dean, I--”

 

“Here we are!” Dean pulled into the parking lot of a large entertainment complex.

 

A blinking sign advertised Three Dollar Bowling and draft beer. Sam vaguely remembered from his childhood that there was a mini golf course insider as well as an arcade. He had no idea what they were doing here.  

 

Suspicion was crawling up his spine as he followed Dean toward the Lawrence FunPlex.  Charlie has pulled up soon after with Benny and Jo along for the ride in her slightly dented yellow beetle. She bounced on her heels as she popped up between the Winchester brothers, throwing her arms around their waists. “I know that this is my usual state, but I am so pumped for this, you guys!”

 

“For what?” Sam asked her. “Are we going bowling?”

 

“Do you really think your brother would take us bowling for his bachelor party?” Benny drawled from behind them, his arm around Jo.  

 

“No,” Sam said. “I assumed that we were going to the strip club.”

 

“We could do that after,” Charlie suggested, poking Dean playfully in the ribs. “I wouldn’t mind seeing some lovely ladies tonight.”

 

They entered the building and crossed the nausea inducing printed carpet to the registers. Sam still didn’t know what the fuck was going on. Maybe mini-golf?  That wasn’t Dean’s style either though. Just as Dean was about to speak with the cashier a voice called out over the din causing Sam to turn in surprise. “I hope you came prepared to be dominated, Winchester.”

 

Gabriel was grinning at them, arms crossed, all of his siblings behind him and Castiel. What the fuck?  “Oh I think the Novaks will be the bitches here tonight,” Dean laughed. 

 

Cas moved away from Gabriel and got into Dean’s space. “Dean, what is going on?”  Sam was relieved that he wasn’t the only one in the dark.

 

He turned away when Dean began to run his fingers down Castiel’s forearm.  “Just a friendly little game of laser tag. Groom VS Groom, babe.”

 

Cas squinted at Dean. “I have repeatedly told you that I don’t want to play a children’s game—“

 

“It’s  _ not  _ just for kids, Cas,” Dean interrupted.  He was quickly silenced by his fiancée’s look and Sam was impressed at how fast Dean obeyed Cas’ whims.

 

“This isn’t funny, Dean,” Cas told him firmly. Sam was worried that things may be getting serious when Castiel sighed in resignation. “So you decided to conspire with Gabriel, knowing he is just as ridiculous as you, to force me to participate in this when you know I won’t be able to refuse?”  Cas looked slightly put out. 

 

“Well…” Dean looked almost guilty. 

 

“It’ll be fun Cassie,” Gabe piped up. “You’ll get to show Dean who’s boss.”

 

“He already knows that I’m the boss,” Cas said gruffly. “And I’m not happy with you either, Gabriel.”

 

Sam stifled a giggle when Gabriel pouted his lips and flipped Cas off when the other man’s back was turned. “Is this really how you want to celebrate?” Cas questioned. 

 

“I just want to be with you,” Dean mumbled. “I thought it would be fun. And Gabe said he’d get you to agree.”

 

“More like my brother tricked me here,” Cas said. “But if this is what you wish...prepare to go down,  _ Winchester _ .”

 

Dean’s eyes lit up and he pumped his fist in the air.  He turned to the cashier who had been listening in, and said, “Ten for Laser Tag—can we make sure it’s a private room?”  He winked at the teenager taking his credit card. “Some of us swear like sailors when we lose.”

 

They moved as a group to head downstairs where the laser tag arenas were located when someone called Sam’s name. He didn’t even need to turn around to know that voice. Oh  _ fuck _ !  No!  Anyone but her!

* * *

 

All of the blood had drained from Sam’s face at the sound of his name and Gabe was dying to know why. Was this another ex to make Sam’s life even more complicated and embarrassing? The joker in him wanted to tease the kid a little if that was the case—but the possessive streak wanted to snarl at anyone who came near his man again. Gabe was starting to accept the fact that he and Sam had something serious going on. Surprisingly it wasn’t sending him running away as he usually did when confronted with ‘relationships.’

 

He watched as the group as a whole turned toward the voice. A slight blonde girl with an intense stare was running toward them.  “Sam!” She cried again, launching herself at the tall man. 

 

Gabriel felt his eyes narrow as she pulled Sam into a tight hug. Despite the fact that Sam was obviously uncomfortable and trying to extract himself, something hot flared in Gabe’s chest. “Oh shit,” Dean said softly from behind him. 

 

“Becky!” Sam choked out, trying to twist out of her grasp. She was apparently abnormally strong because Sam was struggling with his escape attempt. 

 

“I’ve missed you  _ so _ much,” Becky cooed at him, squeezing tighter. 

 

Next to him, both Dean and Castiel looked horrified, and Gabriel wondered why neither of them made a move to help Sam.  He glanced back over and noticed that Becky’s hands were sliding down Sam’s back toward that delectable ass and Gabe saw red.  He reached over and snatched Becky’s wrist, pulling it away from Sam’s backside and slid up next to the two of them with a sneer.  “Hello,” he knew that his voice was hard and unfriendly, and he couldn’t find it in him to care. “Would you like to introduce me to your  _ friend...babe? _ ”

 

Sam looked tense when Gabe tacked on the endearment, but he recovered quickly and made a grunting sound as he finally got free from Becky’s embrace.  “This is Becky. I knew her in high school.”

 

“Our epic romance was legendary amongst the band,” Becky chimed in.  “I played oboe and Sam was on sax. But brass and winds weren’t meant to be,” she batted her eyes up at Gabriel’s moose and he frowned.

 

Gabriel looked up at Sam who was shifting uncomfortably.  “Okay,” he said, gauging Sam’s expression. “That’s super weird.” 

 

A guy about Gabe’s height with a scruffy beard came up behind Becky looking confused.  “Becks?” he asked. “It’s your turn to bowl. Everyone is getting a little impatient.”

 

“Not now, Chuck,” Becky waved at him distractedly while staring intensely at Sam.

 

Gabriel decided that now was the time to act.  He was aware that everyone in their group was watching the situation unfold.  He also knew that he and Sam had agreed to keep things under wraps, but he was getting a bit pissed off at this chick.  Gabe moved close and slid his arm around Sam’s waist, yanking the taller man against him. “Hi Chuck,” he smiled. “And how do  _ you  _ know Becky?”

 

“She’s my wife,” Chuck said, looking slightly upset.

 

“Sort of,” Becky said, still grinning creepily at Sam.

 

Sam frowned.  “How can you be sort of married?”

 

“It’s new,” Becky said carelessly.  “Which means that the ink isn’t quite dry yet and could be removed, if you catch my drift?” She waggled her eyebrows at Sam, who stepped backward, deeper into Gabe’s arms.

 

“Wow,” Gabe said flatly.  “Chuck,” he said to the other guy.  “It might be for the best if you drag your wife away,” Gabriel advised, his fingers digging into Sam’s side.  “Because if she keeps hitting on my boyfriend, I’m not above clawing her eyes out, yeah?” 

 

“Ooh,” Becky’s voice stuttered. “I bet that you two look  _ beautiful  _ together when you’re all touching and sweaty!”

 

Gabriel actually let out a growl and placed his other hand on Sam’s chest as he glared. “Yeah...Chuck?” Sam finally spoke up. “He’s not kidding about killing her.”

 

Chuck didn’t even seem fazed.  He took Becky by the arm and gently pulled her away toward the bowling lanes.  She went without a fight, but she kept her eyes on Sam. “It was so good to see you,” she said as her husband pulled her away.  “Call me anytime!”

 

Once Becky and Chuck were gone, immersed in their bowling once more, they finally turned around to face the others.  The Novaks looked disturbed, while everyone else looked shocked. “Wow!” Charlie finally spoke up. “That’s the fastest you’ve ever gotten rid of her, Sam!”

 

“It helps when you have someone backing you up,” Sam said pointedly, looking at them.

 

Dean shifted under the gaze uncomfortably.  “I’m sorry,” he said after a beat. “You know that she weirds me out.  I’ll have your back next time, I promise.”

 

“Hopefully there won’t be a next time,” Sam sighed.  “Thanks Gabe,” Sam smiled down at him. “You’re the best.”

 

“I actually thought that you might get into a fight with her,” Charlie commented, brushing her hair behind her ears.

 

“Gabriel doesn’t fight,” Lucifer spoke up, eyeing the two of them in a way that made Gabe’s stomach turn.

 

Castiel was squinting at him, and Gabriel didn’t enjoy the scrutiny.  Thankfully Dean finally cleared his throat and said, “Thanks for being my little bro’s fake boyfriend, Gabe.” 

 

It almost hurt to smile and force himself to let go of Sam’s body.  “Anytime.” Gabriel stepped away from Sam, trying to ignore the pout that the big moose was giving him.  Fuck, that was adorable. “So, are we doing this? Or did you decide to chicken out?” he asked Dean tauntingly.

 

Dean made a sarcastic comment and began to lead them all away toward the laser tag rooms.  Sam hung back a little from the group and Gabriel fell into step with him. “So... _ not _ an ex-girlfriend?” Gabe asked Sam as they walked away.

 

“More like...a stalker?” Sam looked apologetic.

 

“Super dupes,” Gabe nodded.  “So do I need to worry about her trying to wear my skin or anything insanely creepy like that?”

 

“She’s more of a gentle stalker I think, but you should probably stay alert, just in case,” Sam teased.

 

“I’ll watch my back,” Gabriel said sarcastically.  “Or, you know,  _ you  _ could?”

 

“I’d be happy to pay attention to anything behind you,” Sam tried.

 

“Wow, you kind of suck at this,” Gabe laughed.  “Sarah wasn’t lying.”

 

“What?”   
  


“Nothing.”  Their hands brushed and both men sucked in a breath.  “This is a lot harder than I thought, kiddo,” Gabe said.

 

“Yeah it is,” Sam glanced pointedly downward and Gabe noticed that Sam’s pants were slightly bulging. 

 

“I meant difficult,” Gabe said, trying not to stare.  “But yeah--looks like it’s hard too. Shit, kiddo! You aren’t making this easy on me,” he choked.

 

They each took a step toward the other, Sam’s fingers twitching as he reached for Gabe’s arm.  Gabriel felt his eyes begin to flutter closed as Sam leaned down toward him. “What the fuck is taking you two so long,” Dean’s voice shouted through the haze.

 

Gabe sprung backward, stumbling a bit as he tried to put some distance between them.  They both looked over and saw that everyone was getting ready to play. Dean was staring at them, but he didn’t look upset or suspicious in any way.  Gabriel wasn’t sure what to make of that. Either his little brother was marrying someone totally oblivious, or perhaps Dean just didn’t care who his brother hooked up with.  He could always hope for some good luck, even if it was unlikely. “Here,” Dean tossed two tangled vests at them. 

 

Sam caught his easily, while Gabriel fumbled his and almost dropped it.  Once he was gripping the plastic and nylon to his chest, Gabe glared at Dean.  “Bring it, Winchester!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise—there’s the (expected) Becky cameo! 😂🤣
> 
> Also, I have no idea why Michael Jr is so creepy...that just sort of happened. But you should always be on the alert for evil penguins...


	7. Fraternizing with the Enemy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which laser tag is played, relationships come to light, and Sam is propositioned...by the wrong man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, I am so sorry that its been so long since I've updated. I don't have anything prepared for after this so it might be a while. I feel horrible that I don't have a great posting schedule, but I'm winging this. Hopefully inspiration will bitchslap me sometime very soon. Hope you enjoy. Again, sorry.

Sam tried not to make eye contact with anyone as he pulled the too-small laser tag vest over his shoulders.  He was the one who had pushed to take things slow and not tell anyone. And here he was, practically jumping Gabe in public with all of their friends and family around to witness.  He was honestly surprised that Dean hadn’t made a comment about ‘interrupting something,’ when he caught them. Maybe Dean wouldn’t make a big deal about this? Sam wasn’t sure, and he didn’t really want to risk it until he was certain.  The last thing he wanted to do was ruin ‘Dean’s Weekend.’ Their parents would flip.

 

He was acutely aware of Gabriel moving next to him, putting on his own vest.  Their elbows or hips would bump at random and sent spikes of wanting through Sam’s body--straight to his dick.  He really didn’t need that. He was already half hard and he knew that Dean would expect him to kick ass at this.  Running and shooting at moving targets with a boner wasn’t going to be easy, or pleasant.

 

Adjusting the straps in an attempt to fit him, Sam tried to listen to the bored voice of the young worker informing them of the rules. When the teen said “no running,” Dean stepped in and handed the kid fifty bucks. The young man’s eyes bugged out before he pocketed the bill and said “If my boss catches you running, I’ll have to kick you out—but since it’s just your group in there, have at it!”

 

Sam accepted the plastic gun and held it to the opposite wall, activating the trigger. The dot appeared slightly off center toward the left. He would have to compensate for that. When he turned back to the group he saw Gabriel watching him. “You’re taking this pretty seriously for a guy who didn’t want to come.”

 

“Who says I didn’t want to come?” Sam asked. 

 

“No one said anything,” Gabe told him. “Your facial expressions speak volumes.  For instance,” Gabe moved up next to him and hopped up on his toes to whisper in Sam’s ear. “When I tell you how much I want your dick down my throat again, you’re going to have the ‘We Need To Go Back To The Room’ look on your face.”  When Gabe pulled away and laughed brightly at Sam, he knew that he must have been making whatever expression that Gabe had been expecting. 

 

“You’re kind of a dick,” Sam commented as Gabe backed away from him playfully, twirling his laser gun like an old western sheriff. 

 

“I like to win,” Gabe corrected. “And I’m not above making things... _ harder  _ on you to succeed.”

 

“Really?” Sam smirked right back at the shorter man. “I can play dirty too.”  He moved closer, stepping around Gabriel at the last minute and giving him a sharp slap on the ass.  He chuckled when Gabe squeaked and grabbed at his backside, glaring at Sam. “That’s for the one you gave me at the airport.”

 

Behind them, Lucifer muttered, “Get a room.”  They both turned to gape at the tall blonde. “Dean and Mikey might not see what’s going on, but the rest of us aren’t stupid. Besides,” Lucifer’s smile showed teeth. “I know your type, little brother, and Sammy here fits the bill. What a shame for you that I got there first.”

 

Gabe’s eyes flashed and he lunged, only to be caught around the waist by Sam, who hauled him back and away from the group.  Lucifer had walked away to join the rest of Castiel’s team, ignoring them. “Woah! Chill,” Sam whispered in Gabe’s ear. Thankfully, no one seemed to notice that Gabriel had just tried to attack his sleazy older brother.

 

Waiting while Gabriel stopped huffing and stomping about was almost torture. He wanted to pull the shorter man into his arms and just squeeze away any bad emotions, but Sam knew that would have to wait until they were alone. Gabe’s body was shaking next to Sam, the laser gun in his hand visibly moving while Gabriel took deep breaths and glared at his brother. Finally, he looked up into Sam’s eyes and said, “I love my brother—but he’s a great big bag of dicks sometimes.”

 

“I know the feeling,” Sam commiserated. “Don’t let him get to you. I’d never choose him. Not again. And I’m sorry I ever did.”

 

He felt the relief flood through him when Gabriel gave him a soft smile and said, “Thanks, kiddo,” while squeezing his hand. They broke apart as Dean and Cas picked their teams for the game.  It wasn’t a surprise when they were divided between their respective grooms. Castiel, Gabe, and their siblings were on one side; while Dean, Sam and their friends were on the other.

 

Sliding up next to Gabriel once more, Sam leaned down and whispered in his ear, “I won’t shoot you, if you don’t shoot me?”

 

The smile that Gabriel shot him was breathtaking.  Sam’s breath actually caught when Gabe’s eyebrow hitched up at him playfully.  “That’s so kind of you,” Gabe said softly back. “But make no mistake--I  _ will  _ shoot your sexy ass.”

 

Sam straightened to his full height and looked down at Gabriel with a challenge in his eyes.  “Oh, that’s how it is? Fine--you’re going down, Shortcake!”

 

“Shortcake?” Gabriel mused.  “That’s a new one.”

 

“You’re tiny and you’re sweet,” Sam told him.  “And I want to eat you up.”

 

Gabe snorted.  “I’m not tiny everywhere, kiddo.”

 

Before Sam could respond to that, the game was called and everyone took off into the dark room.  Sam was the last, and he cursed under his breath, knowing that the last person inside had the greatest risk of being tagged out.  He stumbled into the laser tag arena, his weapon raised the way that his father had taught him as a kid. Sam blinked at the darkness surrounding him, the smoke from the fog machine making his eyes itch.  It was almost impossible to make out anything except for the occasion silhouette when the strobe lights went off.

 

He saw movement to his left and a flash of red hair.  Charlie was close, which was fine because she was on his team.  As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he noticed that the woman was taller than Charlie and he remembered that Anna was a redhead as well.  “Fuck,” Sam shouted as he ducked behind the nearest outcropping as the only female Novak took aim at him. 

 

Another strobe flash lit up the space and Sam peeked around the corner of the wall near the floor.  He could see Anna, standing fully exposed pointing her laser gun near the top of the wall where she obviously expected Sam to pop up from.  She wasn’t paying him any attention on the ground. Sam lifted his gun and aimed. A shrill siren-like sound echoed in the room and a robotic voice came through the small speakers on the shoulder of their vests.  “Winchester, one. Novak, zero.” Anna was out.

 

Sam decided that he needed to get to a safer position than directly in front of the exit.  He moved silently, as low to the ground as he could manage with his height disadvantage. He swore when he realized players like Gabe and Jo would have an easier time concealing themselves.  Even fully bent over, Sam knew he would still be exposed and visible around some of the walls erected in the arena. 

 

He heard Dean’s laughter break through the thumping music playing overhead.  The occasional sound of the laser guns were entwined with playful taunts and genuine mirth as the groups targeted one another.  “Son of a bitch,” Charlie’s voice shouted just before the robotic announcement came through their vests announcing that the teams were now tied.  So long, Charlie.

 

There was a small tower built near the center of the room with various ramps leading up to the coveted higher ground.  Sam slid along the walls surrounding the tower and looked up when he heard taunts and the ping of the laser guns coming from above.  Michael, Lucifer and Castiel were all perched in the tower, aiming toward a single, low wall a short distance away from them. Shockingly, Michael and Lucifer were fully invested, aiming and laughing, occasionally cheering Cas on as well.  It was as though they were completely different people.

 

Sam moved backward slowly and carefully took in the scene.  He could see the occasional person come around the short wall that was under siege.  They would pop out and aim upwards to the tower. Dean came around the side and aimed up at his fiancé.  Cas laughed as he swore and missed. Sam could also see Benny and Jo behind the wall taking aim. The Novaks had Dean, Jo and Benny pinned down. 

 

Well, that wouldn’t do at all.  Sam had no idea where Gabriel was, but he had a feeling Gabe was somewhere close by, watching and cracking up.  Sam figured that he may as well give a decent show in that case. He bided his time, waiting for the three Novaks to become focused on their prey before he deftly snuck onto the nearest ramp and ascended to the tower.  Sam had plenty of practice walking quietly from when John would take him and Dean hunting up at their Uncle Bobby’s cabin when they were kids. You couldn’t make noise when creeping up on a wild animal. Sam had never been into it like Dean, but he’d at least picked up a few skills during those weekends.

 

Castiel and his brothers didn’t even turn around when Sam made it to the top and was standing only a few feet behind them, another ramp directly to his left.  Sam smiled to himself as he raised his laser gun at Lucifer’s back. Shooting his one-night-stand boss would be incredibly cathartic, so Sam went for him first.  He fired off a shot, setting of one of the sensors on Lucifer’s back. He managed to hit Michael as well before Cas had turned around at the sirens. “Winchester, three.  Novak, one.”

 

“Fuck yeah!  Go, Sammy!” Dean shouted up at them.  

 

Somewhere behind him, Gabriel was laughing at his own brothers.  Cas’ eyes flashed at Sam, giving the taller man a split second to act.  Sam launched himself sideways down the ramp as Cas took aim and fired on him.  He was somewhat taken aback by the intense look on the mild-mannered Castiel’s face as he aimed for Sam’s vest.  Obviously, Cas was just as into this whole thing as Dean was. 

 

He ungracefully rolled down the rest of the ramp, landing at the bottom in a heap.  Sam knew that Cas would be right behind him, so he scrambled on his hands and knees behind the nearest wall.  His breathing was actually labored from the adrenaline and Sam grinned, realizing that this was actually pretty fucking fun.  Maybe Dean and Gabe were onto something--it was okay to be silly every once in a while. 

 

Sam could hear people’s shoes scuffing as they ran once more and he knew that Dean, Jo and Benny had taken off after Cas and Gabe--wherever Gabriel had been hiding, that is.  A strobe flashed again and Sam saw the outline of someone light up only a few feet away from him. He raised his weapon until he realized that it was Benny. Before he could call out to his teammate, Benny’s vest lit up and the alarm sounded.  “Winchester, three. Novak, two.”

 

Gabriel was cackling as Benny was taken out--and he was close.  Sam knew that he had to get somewhere else, or he was going to be spotted.  He looked around the corner to his left and didn’t see any movement. Unfortunately, that was was wide open, with the nearest hiding place almost ten feet away.  He definitely didn’t want to head in that direction. Sam moved his limbs so that he was resting back on his heels, ducked as low as he could be. There was a scrape of sound from almost directly behind him and Sam knew that he was out of time.  

 

Shit.  There was no way around it, Sam knew that he was going to have to risk it and make a move.  Between the pitch black of the arena, the multi-colored strobe lights and the dumb fog machine, Sam could barely see his hand in front of his face.  He shifted on the balls of his feet and stood up from the low crouch he had been in. He felt the pull through his legs as he moved--he’d been stationary for too long.  Pushing off with his right foot, Sam stayed as low as he could as he darted around the corner of the free-standing wall...and collided with something-- _ someone _ \--small and firm.

 

There were mutual puffs of air as they both went down, whoever he’d smashed into bearing the brunt of the fall and ending up on the floor, pinned underneath Sam’s larger body.  “I’m so sorry,” Sam said when he regained use of his brain. “Are you all right?”

 

“My ass feels broken and you’re not exactly light, kiddo,” came Gabriel’s muffled voice.

 

Sam gulped, realizing that the man he was currently lusting after was pinned beneath him in the dark.  He knew that he should shoot Gabe’s vest, but that would require moving. It would also mean searching for the plastic gun that he’d dropped when they went down.  Sam was unarmed, at Gabriel’s mercy and he was sort of okay with that. 

 

The shouts and laughs of their friends, combined with the wails when the lasers found their targets, filled the air around them.  Unconsciously, Sam shifted his hips, and immediately tried to cover his gasp at the sensation. He was perfectly situated between Gabe’s thighs and despite the situation, Sam had no desire to move.  “Sorry,” he whispered.

 

“Fuck, Samsquatch,” Gabe huffed from under him.  “Watch where you’re going!”

 

With that, the moment seemed gone.  “Sue me for not having night vision,” Sam grunted as he tried to push himself up.  He gasped when Gabriel latched onto him tightly, pulling Sam back down on top of him.  “What are you doing?” Sam whispered as his body settled back into Gabe’s.

 

“If you can’t see, then no one else can either,” Gabriel smiled and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of Sam’s mouth.

 

There was a split second before both men were surging together, kissing harshly.  Sam’s hands were trying to touch every inch of Gabriel that they could. For his part, Gabe had hooked his legs around Sam’s waist and was pulling on Sam’s hair as he whimpered into Sam’s kisses.  It was purely instinctual and Sam was helpless to resist. 

 

Sam pressed his tongue deep into Gabriel’s mouth and rutted his hips down onto the man in his arms.  Gabe gasped and gave right back, tightening his legs onto Sam’s waist. Just as he was beginning to slow and melt into the kisses, Sam’s eyes flew open as Gabriel pushed himself up and used the grip on Sam’s body to roll them over.  Now on his back on the sticky floor of the arena, Sam was the one pinned as Gabriel straddled his body. Gabe gave him one sensual roll of his hips and Sam actually cried out and pulled desperately at Gabe’s shoulders. Smirking down at Sam, Gabe finally had mercy and began to kiss him once more, humping against Sam’s crotch lightly.

 

A loud whooping siren brayed through the arena and the robotic voices on their vests announced that their time was up.  If they wanted to continue the game, they had to pay for another fifteen minute session. Sam was aware that the lights were coming up and that he and Gabriel were completely exposed, but he couldn’t tear his lips away from Gabe’s.  The sound of feet drawing closer was still not much of a deterrent. Sam didn’t stop kissing Gabriel until he heard the low wolf whistle and turned to see Benny smiling at them from a few feet away.

 

The rest of their had group begun to come out from their respective hiding places, and it was painfully obvious as to what was going on.  Sam blinked at the dim lighting, vaguely aware that Dean was staring down at him. He could see his brother taking in his and Gabriel’s swollen lips and wrinkled clothes.  Sam’s hand was still fisted into Gabriel’s hair, and he noticed that his partner’s eyes were slightly glazed over with desire. He knew that he probably looked similar and Sam scrunched his nose as he looked up at Dean from the floor of the arena.  Gabe’s knees tightened a bit onto Sam’s hips as the smaller man tried to balance as he reached for his discarded laser gun. “What?” Sam managed as Gabriel grabbed his weapon and pointed it at him.

 

The shrill burst of sound carried throughout the room as Gabriel shot Sam’s target, dead center.  Gabe shrugged apologetically as everyone stared at the two of them tangled on the ground. “I was shooting him.”

 

Charlie, Jo, Anna and Benny were shaking with laughter.  The rest looked confused, or, in Lucifer’s case, slightly pissed off.  “Sure you were,” Jo smiled.

 

“Is that what the kids are calling it these days?” Charlie added, doubling over with laughter.

 

“In public, Gabriel?” Michael looked almost scandalized which made the girls all laugh even more.  Apparently his playful demeanor during the game had disappeared at his brother’s lewd public display.

 

Gabe scrambled off of Sam, which was a relief, until Sam realized he was half hard and that it was painfully obvious.  He resisted the urge to cover his crotch with his hand, knowing that it would just draw more attention to his predicament.  He gratefully took Gabriel’s outstretched hand. Sam had to admit that he was rather surprised when Gabe helped him to his feet with a strong pull.  He might be compact, but Gabriel was obviously powerful. The two of them stood, facing Dean, and something inside of Sam seemed to glow with pride when Gabriel refused to let go of his hand.

 

Dean’s eye were narrowed and darting between them.  “Are you two,” Dean started pointing at them as well, “fucking?” 

 

Sam rolled his eyes and shot his brother a look.  “No, Dean.”

 

“Maybe,” Gabriel said at the same time.  Sam shot a look at Gabe and the two of them have a short, silent conversation with facial expressions.  It was strange that it had only been a few days and Sam felt as though he could read Gabriel perfectly--and vice versa.  

 

“Would it be so bad if we were?” Sam looked at his brother.  

 

“It’s just...kind of weird,” Dean said after a moment.  “This isn’t a one-time thing that you’re going to get all girly about and ruin the wedding when Gabe has enough, are you?”

 

“Wow,” Sam and Gabriel spoke as one, their tones irritated.  “Dean,” Sam said. “I can’t believe--”

 

“Dean,” Castiel interrupted, placing a firm hand on Dean’s forearm.  “That was incredibly rude, not only to Sam, but to Gabriel as well. And also to me.  If you are going to accuse my brother of using Sam or being ‘slutty,’” Cas made quote fingers, “then it is offensive to all of his family as well.  You also implied that Sam is not capable of making his own decisions, which is untrue. Not to mention that you seem to be more concerned with the wedding than your brother’s feelings.  It’s a wedding, Dean--an indulgent and expensive party--nothing truly important, and you know that.”

 

Looking around, Dean seemed to realized that he had five Novaks, and one little brother glaring at him.  Even his friends looked uncomfortable and were inching away from the confrontation. “I didn’t mean to offend you, Cas,” Dean said.  “I’m just looking out for Sam. And I just want the wedding to be perfect for  _ you _ because you deserve it.”

 

“Don’t apologize to me,” Cas told him. “Sam and Gabriel are the ones you need to speak with.”  Cas seemed to think for a moment before saying, “And I’m not all that concerned about the wedding either.  This is more for your mother.”

 

Sam’s mouth fell open as his brother turned to face him and Gabriel and mumbled out an apology.  It wasn’t eloquent, or very loud, but it actually happened. Sam couldn’t remember a time that Dean had ever said he was sorry for anything.  It was shocking how his brother had changed with Castiel’s influence--in a good way. “I don’t think you’re a slut,” Dean said to Gabe. “I’m sorry I made it sound like that.  Just don’t hurt Sammy, okay?” 

 

“I’m not capable of hurting him,” Gabe said, his voice unusually grave.

 

“Good.  Right. Okay,” Dean kept nodding and looking uncomfortable.  “Try to keep the dry humping in front of me to a minimum though, okay Sammy?” 

 

Sam was grateful that his brother was attempting a joke.  It meant that in his own way, Dean was happy for them. It was awkward and frustrating...and it was the Winchester way.  “We’ll try,” Sam responded, trying not to laugh at Dean’s expression.

 

“I’m sure you and Cassie have gotten up to it in far less savory places,” Gabriel said, winking at them both.

 

“I am nowhere near as perverted as you,” Castiel told his brother, which made Gabe bark out a laugh.

 

Benny moved up behind Dean and punched his friend in the arm.  “There’s a bar upstairs by the bowling alley, brother. I say it’s passed time to partake in some good old fashioned bachelor party drinking.”

 

“Seconded,” Jo shouted, pumping her tiny fist in the air.

 

Lucifer moved over toward Castiel’s side and smiled harshly.  “Drinks are on me,” he offered. “For the good of the celebration.”  When Cas thanked him, Lucifer said, “Anything for my favorite little brother.”  Sam didn’t miss how Gabe’s hand squeezed his own at those words.

 

The group dispersed, heading back upstairs to the retro-looking bar in the corner of the bowling alley.  There weren’t many people sitting there, since most everyone was bowling and simply coming up to place a quick order, so they had the area relatively to themselves.  Sam parked himself on a stool near the end, and watched as Dean and Cas gave each other a quick kiss before ordering a round. Sam was just glad that things were out in the open now and he could touch Gabriel whenever he wanted.  Watching his brother and Castiel was slightly inspiring and Sam snaked his arm around Gabe’s waist and pulled him flush against him. He took a moment to nuzzle Gabe’s earlobe before placing a soft kiss on the shorter man’s stubbled cheek.  “I need to shave,” Gabriel grumbled, turning in Sam’s arms to face him.

 

“Don’t,” Sam told him.  “I mean, at least not until you have to for the wedding.  I like how it feels. I bet you’d look amazing with a beard.” 

 

“Mikey and Luci say I look like a hobo when I have a beard,” Gabriel told him.

 

“Then you should definitely grow one out,” Sam smiled.  “If you  _ were  _ a hobo, I’d invite you to live with me.”

 

Gabe’s head dropped, hitting Sam’s chest where he rested comfortably for a moment.  “Fuck, kiddo--you’re trying to kill me, aren’t you? You’re obviously some sort of demon sent to tempt me into moving too fast.”

 

“I don’t think you could ever move too fast for me,” Sam smiled down at him.  “I’m the one who keeps trying to push you forward now. And I’m not planning on stopping, just so you know.”

 

“Really?” Gabe looked up at him and clicked his tongue.  The sound and movement made Sam twitch a little in his pants and his cheeks flushed.  “You’re done going slow? That didn’t even last twenty-four hours,” Gabe pointed out teasingly.

 

“I’m not a patient man,” Sam replied.  

 

“I’m usually not either,” Gabriel leaned into him.  “I’ve always been about instant gratification.”

 

Sam bit his lip.  “How about we get some gratification tonight back at our room?”

 

Humming and shifting up to kiss Sam squarely on the lips, Gabriel said, “You better not be fucking with me.”

 

“Not yet,” Sam promised.

 

“Fuck,” Gabe turned the word into almost seven syllables as he groaned into Sam’s mouth.  “Let’s go now!”

 

Laughing, Sam shook his head.  “Dean would kill me if I punked out before he did.  It’s his bachelor party, and I have to make an effort as the Best Man.  And may I remind you that you do too.” Gabriel made a frustrated whine and Sam tried to placate him by nibbling on his jaw.

 

“Damn, Sammy!” Dean called down the bar.  “You’re being gross.”

 

“You got no room to talk, brother,” Benny laughed as he lifted Jo up onto the bar.  “You suck face with Cas more than a teenager. And the amount of slobber you produce is far nastier than anything Sam’s up to.”

 

Everyone cracked up and Dean smacked his friend on the arm.  “He makes a point, Dean.” Cas said seriously.

 

“You think I slobber?” Dean looked shocked.

 

“You’re...enthusiastic,” Castiel said, looking wary.

 

“Fucking hell,” Dean rolled his eyes.  “I’m surprised that you want to marry me since I might drool on you.”

 

Castiel was about to reply when Michael piped up, “Please don’t drool on my baby brother where I can see.”

 

“Come here babe!” Dean made a show of leaning into Cas and pretending to slobber all over him while Michael and Anna begged him to stop through their laughter.  

 

Sam happily turned his attention back to Gabriel.  He kept one of his fingers hooked into Gabe’s belt loop as he listened to all of the dirty suggestions Gabe was whispering in his ear.  When the bartender asked Cas and Dean when they were getting married, Sam pulled away to listen. She congratulated the couple and offered a free round of shots to celebrate.  “Gabe,” Dean called out. “Get over here. I only do straight liquor and Cas is refusing that. He wants something ‘tasty.’ We need your help.”

 

Gabriel chuckled and wiggled out of Sam’s arms.  “I aim to please,” he winked at Sam as he moved off toward the grooms.  “What about an apple pie?”

 

“Pie?” Dean looked happy.

 

“It’s not a real pie, doofus,” Jo teased.

 

“Oh you poor thing, Dean-O,” Gabe said as he joined them.  “Don’t tell me that you’ve never had a decent shot before!”

 

“I don’t want any of that sparkly shit you were showing me online,” Dean warned Charlie as she cackled evilly with Gabriel and Jo.

 

Smiling, Sam glanced down at his pint glass and swirling the lukewarm beer around inside.  He could hear Gabriel, Charlie and Jo shouting out different shots, hoping to have the grooms pick the one that they had chosen.  Gabe looked so confident and at ease--Sam couldn’t get over how amazingly sexy Gabriel was like this. His smiles were contagious and Sam wanted to kiss the other man senseless.  He indulged himself for a while, watching Dean make faces at the sugary drinks placed in front of him and Castiel. His brother was more of a whiskey man, and Sam knew that he would despise the drinks Gabriel had picked out since they were certain to be sickeningly sweet.

Sam lifted his beer to his lips and started when a hand clamped down on his shoulder.  Lucifer was moving up next to him and he was too close. Even though Sam was seated, he was just about eye level with the other man.  His gaze met those cold blue eyes and Sam briefly wondered how drunk he must have been to agree to do  _ anything  _ with a man like Lucifer Novak.  

 

“Sam,” Lucifer’s voice slid over Sam and he hated how it felt.  “I forgot how incredibly attractive you are,” Lucifer leaned in even as Sam pulled away.  “But I haven’t forgotten other things--like how good you are with that mouth.”

 

Sam gulped and tried to shrug off the hand on his shoulder.  Lucifer just tightened his grip. “What do you want?” he asked tightly.

 

Shrugging and moving his hand to run his fingers along Sam’s arm, Lucifer fixed Sam with a look.  “I’d like a rematch of our...little game, if you will. What do you think? You could just come to my room--leave my annoying pipsqueak brother behind.  You could do so much better than  _ Gabriel _ .”  Lucifer said his sibling’s name as though it were something repulsive and Sam clenched his jaw.

 

A loud chorus of laughter rang out from down the bar where the grooms were taking their shots.  Everyone was cheering and clapping. Gabriel was smiling indulgently at Cas. “See,” Lucifer’s lips were brushing Sam’s ear and he shuddered.  “He’s not even paying attention to you. He doesn’t care. You could leave with me right now.”

 

Sam abruptly stood, knocking over his stool and glared at Lucifer.  “Back off,” he warned. “I’m not leaving with you and I’m certainly not  _ sleeping  _ with you again.  It was a mistake.  I’m with Gabriel now.”

 

“You really think you’re  _ dating  _ my little brother?” Lucifer raised an eyebrow.  “Gabriel doesn’t date. He fucks. A lot.” Lucifer’s smile was predatory and Sam glared at him.  “My brother’s attention span is worse than a goldfish. He’ll be over you and on to another member of the wedding party before the rings are exchanged.”

 

Sam’s eyes narrowed in suspicion and he looked over at Gabriel who was now watching them.  He could see Gabe’s tight expression and set jaw even from a distance. He looked possessive and downright sinful and Sam didn’t want to believe anything that Lucifer was saying.  But there was a small voice in his mind whispering that it might be true. He didn’t know Gabe all that well--but he knew Lucifer, and they  _ were  _ brothers.  It wasn’t such a stretch to think that their relationship phobias were similar.

 

Taking advantage of Sam’s silence, Lucifer reached behind him and slid his hand into the back pocket of Sam’s pants causing him to jolt.  The slim shape of a hotel key card was obvious when Lucifer pulled away. “Think about it. I’m in room two-thirty.”

 

He turned to tell Lucifer off, but suddenly Gabriel was right there, glowering up at his older brother, his fingers twirling together with Sam’s.  “Problem, boys?” 

 

“No,” Lucifer cocked an eyebrow and took a sip of his scotch.  “Nothing for you to worry about, brother.”

 

They both watched as Lucifer moved away to join the others who were still taking shots.  “Was he bothering you?” Gabriel asked with concern once they were somewhat alone again.

 

Sam shook his head.  “Nothing I couldn’t handle.”

 

“You’ll tell me if he’s a dick, right?” Gabe looked up at Sam.  “Promise?”

 

He nodded and smiled down at Gabriel’s concerned expression.  “I know I said that we had to be good Best Men,” Sam said. “But I’m thinking we should call it a night.”  He just wanted to leave. He wanted to be worlds away from Lucifer Novak, wrapped up safe in Gabe’s arms.

 

“Whatever you want, kiddo,” Gabriel said.  “You’re sure you’re okay? I am not above punching my brother in the dick.”

 

“I’m positive,” Sam kissed Gabe firmly.  “I don’t want to think about him anymore.  I want to think about you and all of the things you’re about to do to me.”

 

A low, possessive growl sounded in Gabriel’s throat and he suddenly pulled Sam toward the exit.  “We’ll see you all tomorrow,” Gabe shouted as they ran from the building.

 

“Make sure you wear the proper protection, Gabriel,” Cas called after them.  “There are so many reasons why one should always use condoms!”

 

“Love you too, bro,” Gabe shouted back, rolling his eyes and flushing pink.

 

“Cas, you can’t just scream things like that in public,” Dean sounded panicked as almost everyone else laughed at the awkward sibling goodbye.

 

“Fuck,” Sam choked.  “And I thought Dean was bad.”

 

“Cas is his own special brand of annoying little brother,” Gabriel grunted, dragging Sam along.  They tripped and giggled as they took off, eager to get back to the privacy of their room. Neither of them paid any mind to Lucifer watching as they left, his mouth set in a thin, and disapproving line.


	8. Everything, All At Once

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is lots of smutty smut...finally

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All Gabriel POV  
> NSFW  
> A little bit of homophobia. Some dirty talk. SEX.  
> This chapter is for BuLlEtNiPpLeS...Sabriel smut is always a good thing!

If he had been a better man, perhaps Gabriel could have resisted shamelessly making out with Sam in the parking lot of the Fun Plex--but he wasn’t, and he was fine with that.  Sam seemed to be on board, if his relentless kissing was anything to go by. Gabriel ordered them an Uber, tucked his phone into his back pocket and gave his full attention to the gorgeous man who was currently pinning him to the brick wall.

 

They weren’t exactly inconspicuous due to the fact that they were five feet from the entrance and directly under a large neon sign, but Gabriel had no intentions of moving until their ride arrived.  If someone walked by with a small child he would  _ consider  _ removing himself from Sam’s body.  Maybe. For a split second, their bodies shifted and Gabe looked up at Sam, their eyes locking for a beat.  Suddenly Sam was swooping down, grabbing Gabriel around the waist and kissing him almost harshly.

 

He rutted forward with his hips and whined when their dicks didn’t line up properly.  Fucking height differences! Why did he have to be so fucking short? Sam chuckled into his mouth and Gabe nipped at the other man’s lower lip in retaliation.  “It’s not fucking funny, Samsquatch!”

 

“It’s a  _ little _ funny, Shortcake,” Sam pulled back and smiled at him tenderly.  Gabriel narrowed his eyes at the nickname. “Don’t look at me like that,” Sam told him, pressing a soft kiss to Gabriel’s cheek.  “You’re perfect. To me, you’re fucking perfect.”

 

This time, the kiss was slow and sweet.  Gabriel didn’t think that he’d ever had a more innocent kiss that made him so deliciously horny in all his life.  This kid was going to be the death of him, that was certain. Sam’s tongue slid into Gabriel’s mouth, tasting, asking, and begging wordlessly.  Hooking his arms around Sam’s neck, his fingers tugging on the brush of hair, Gabriel melted into the kiss.

 

His phone broke the moment, chiming an alert, just as a car pulled up and honked at them.  “Are you guys waiting on a ride?” It was a man’s voice, so thankfully Sarah wasn’t their driver yet again.  As much as Gabriel liked the young lady, he knew he’d be uncomfortable with her driving them back to the hotel, knowing that she’d already had her hands on Gabe’s man.

 

“Yeah,” Sam shouted over his shoulder, his forehead resting on Gabe’s.  “I don’t want to let go of you,” Sam confessed.

 

“I know the feeling, kiddo,” Gabe told him.  “But the faster we get back to our room, the more interesting this night can become.”

 

He’d hardly finished speaking before Sam was already crawling into the backseat and shouting at him to hurry up.  Shaking his head in amusement, Gabe joined him, giving the address for the hotel and grabbing Sam’s hand as soon as they were buckled in.  “If you get any stains back there, it’s a hundred dollar fine,” the driver warned as they pulled away. “Homos,” came the muttered word directly after.

 

Fantastic.  Gabriel almost wished they  _ had  _ gotten Sarah for their ride now.  Both he and Sam glanced at the man, noticing that he seemed to be watching them in the rearview mirror more than he was looking at the road.  The driver’s eyes were hard and emanating anger. Gabriel gripped Sam’s hand tightly and pulled it toward him, resting the larger man’s palm high up on his thigh.  He winked at the driver before turning to Sam and saying, “I can’t wait to have my wicked way with you.”

 

Sam was still eyeing the driver when Gabe spoke.  It took him a moment to catch up, but as soon as he realized Gabriel was deliberately egging the man on, Sam smiled back.  “I’m on board for anything wicked you have in mind,” Sam replied, his voice just a little louder than normal. “The dirtier, the better.”

 

Arching an eyebrow, Gabriel leaned back a little in surprise.  He knew they were just riling up the homophobic driver, but Gabe secretly hoped that Sam wasn’t totally messing around.  Gabriel could absolutely fulfill any and all dirty fantasies that Sam Winchester might have. “Fuck, kiddo.”

 

“That’s the idea,” Sam smiled, leaning in for a quick, hard kiss.

 

The driver cleared his throat grumpily and almost screamed that they had arrived at their destination.  Gabriel pulled Sam with him out of the car without a word to the man. He’d give the guy a crap review later--right now, he had better things to do.  They tumbled into the lobby of the hotel, ignoring the hostile glares from Amelia behind the registration desk. 

 

Despite what his brothers thought, Gabe wasn’t incredibly wild in certain respects.  He had no intention of doing anything ‘untoward’ with Sam before they made it to their room.  Apparently Sam had other ideas. His hands were running down Gabe’s back as they moved toward the elevator, eventually settling on his ass, and lightly squeezing.  When the elevator doors slid shut, Sam was on him in moments, one large hand in Gabriel’s hair and the other firmly planted on his rear end. It was impossible to resist, so Gabe stopped trying.  

 

By the time they reached their floor, his fingers were trapped under the front of Sam’s shirt, and Gabriel’s hair was flying all over the place.  When they pulled apart, Gabe was pleased to see that Sam looked just as dazed as he felt, with puffy pink lips and lidded eyes. “I could touch you forever,” Sam whispered.

 

“I would be abso-fucking-lutely fine with that,” Gabe told him as they hurried toward their room.  He pressed the key card to the scanner three times--and he might have kicked the door once too--before it unlocked and allowed them entrance.

 

Sam was on him before the door was even closed.  They pressed together, touching as much as possible, stumbling toward the bed.  “I want you so much,” Sam told him between kisses.

 

“I guess we’re not going slow anymore?” Gabriel confirmed.  He was just about delirious with need, but he didn’t want to push Sam into anything he wasn’t ready for.

 

“I was a fucking dumbass for wanting to wait with you,” Sam said, latching his mouth to Gabriel’s neck.  He could feel Sam sucking the skin and he let out a groan and ran his fingers through Sam’s hair.

 

Just as his eyes slid shut, Gabriel felt Sam’s hand, toying with him through his pants and he froze.  He forced himself to pull away and look into Sam’s eyes. “I get that we’re about to speed things up here,” he said.  “But that doesn’t mean that I’m not going to take my time with this. I’ve wanted you for thirty-nine hours and approximately twenty-seven minutes,” Gabriel managed to laugh.  “And in that short amount of time, I’ve managed to accumulate quite a few dirty fantasies about you, kiddo.”

 

“There’s no way that your fantasies are going to beat the ones I’ve had about you,” Sam told him, leaning down for a soft kiss.  “Okay,” Sam pulled away. “Not taking it slow, but...savoring?”

 

“I like the sound of that,” Gabriel smiled.  “Now, get your fine ass on the bed so I can start fulfilling some of my more depraved desires.”

 

Sam eyed him suspiciously for a moment before climbing onto the bed and settling back into the pillows.  “You’re going to pour chocolate sauce on me, aren’t you?”

 

Gabe burst out laughing and shook his head.  “Not right now, because I don’t have any on hand,” he told Sam.  “But eventually, someday, yes.” He smirked down at the tall, handsome man laid out before him.  “Do you think room service would just deliver maple syrup?” Sam’s eyebrows shot up as Gabe chuckled.  “I’ll have to check on that in the morning.”

 

Before Sam could protest the use of sticky foods in their activities, Gabriel practically pounced on him and crawled up Sam’s body until their chests were flush and they were eye to eye.  “What should I do with you first?” he mused. “Oh, I know,” Gabriel winked at Sam as he pulled at the flannel shirt the younger man was wearing. Gabe worked the shirt over Sam’s broad shoulders as he leaned in and began to suck a deep mark into Sam’s neck.

 

“That feels so good,” Sam murmured as he tilted his head and wiggled his arms, trying to help Gabriel undress him.  “Dean will kill me if you leave a mark though,” Sam said breathily. 

 

“Fuck him,” Gabriel whispered against Sam’s skin before leaving another bruise just below the first.  He was going to mark Sam up so that it was painfully obvious that he was taken. And after the way that Sam had been treated by his family--including Dean--so far, Gabriel didn’t give a flying fuck about what  _ Dean  _ wanted.  He moved away slightly and nuzzled at Sam’s jaw.  “Do you want me to stop?”

 

“You probably should,” Sam groaned.  Now that his arms were free of the flannel, he’d wrapped them around Gabe’s waist and was pulling their bodies flush.

 

“Not what I asked, kiddo,” Gabriel kissed the corner of Sam’s mouth.  “Do  _ you  _ want me to stop leaving marks on you?  Not what Dean will want? Or anyone else.  Just you. I only care about you and your feelings right now, okay?”

 

Sam blinked at him as Gabriel cupped his cheek and waited earnestly for an answer.  “No,” Sam said softly.

 

“No?” Gabe quirked an eyebrow.

 

“No, I don’t want you to stop,” Sam said firmly.  “I want you to leave as many marks on me that you can.  I just don’t want Dean to think that I’m ruining his wedding or some shit if I show up with a few hickeys.”

 

“News flash,” Gabe said.  “You don’t have to cater to Dean all the time.  He isn’t more important that you--especially not to me.”  He paused for a moment, wondering if he should keep pressing.  He really didn’t want to kill the mood, but he had a hard time keeping his feelings to himself.  “Just because that’s what your parents do, doesn’t make it right. And as far as I’m concerned, you are the most important person in the world.”

 

Just as he began to worry that he’d pushed to far, Sam surged forward, grabbing his cheeks and kissing him so hard that Gabe felt the breath punch out of his chest.  “Fuck, I love you!”

 

They both froze at Sam’s declaration.  Gabriel could see the panic building in his partner’s eyes and he knew that he had to shut that shit down as quickly as possible.  “Fucking good! I love you too, kiddo.”

 

“You don’t think this is too fast?”  Sam asked.

 

“Who cares if it is?” Gabriel arched an eyebrow.  “Life is too short to spend it pleasing other people and fitting into their fucking boring little boxes.”

 

Sam seemed to contemplate that for a moment before he kissed Gabriel firmly and said, “You’re right.  Who fucking cares?”

 

“That’s my boy,” Gabe smiled wickedly.  “Now where were we? Oh...right,” Gabe dove back onto Sam, returning to his task of sucking as many hickeys into his lover’s neck as possible.  Sam gasped under his touch, his hips barely writhing as he slowly lost control under Gabe. “I want to take my time with you someday. Take you apart, Sam.”

 

His lover hummed at the implication that this was more than a single evening, and Gabe felt Sam rock against him.  “Nothing’s stopping you,” Sam said, gasping as Gabriel licked at a newly formed bruise.

 

“No,” Gabe agreed, pulling back to look into Sam’s eyes as he settled deeper between the other man’s spread legs.  “I could spend the rest of my life touching you, kiddo.” Gabe was honestly shocked that he meant every word. He knew that he had said the correct thing when Sam’s face broke into the brightest smile imaginable.  He lit up the fucking room and Gabe wanted to see that expression on his lover’s face over and over again.

 

“I am more than okay with that, you know,” Sam smiled.

 

Shit.  Gabe had fully intended on bringing the kid back here for some fantastic and obviously fiery  _ fucking _ , but somehow things had shifted, and Gabriel’s desires had fallen more on the side of  _ making love. _  Something that he  _ did not  _ do--ever.  He wasn’t the one taking Sam apart, Sam was twisting himself into Gabriel’s very being.  Whatever was happening between them was making all of Gabriel’s carefully constructed walls tumble down, and he was all for it!  “You’re something fucking special,” he said, his voice hitching just enough to be embarrassing. 

 

Sam lurched forward and tangled his hands in Gabe’s hair, pulling him in for a kiss.  At first, Gabe thought that it was going to be the needy, rough kind that they had been indulging in all evening, but this kiss was soft and slow and pure torture.  The moment that he felt Sam’s tongue licking into his mouth, Gabe whined--he actually fucking _ whined _ .  One of Sam’s hands came down and rested on Gabe’s cheek, the thumb rubbing lightly on his stubble, holding Gabriel right where Sam wanted.

 

His own hands wandered and Gabe began working on the button of Sam’s pants, keeping the majority of his attention on the fantastic, languid kissing.  Sam had been the eager one when they were finally alone, and now the tables were turned. Gabriel no longer saw any appeal in teasing his younger lover--he wanted everything to be more, faster, now!  He could feel Sam smiling against his lips and he grunted. “I want you something terrible, kiddo.” Sam only moaned into another slow kiss. “Fuck, do I want you.”

 

Finally Sam pulled back and looked into Gabriel’s eyes and he thought that he might come right then and there from the look Sam was giving him.  It was shy and innocent, and  _ nothing  _ like what he’d come to associate with His Sammy.  Those beautiful eyes looking at him through Sam’s lashes, the hesitant lip bite--Gabe was a fucking goner.  “I need you to fuck me, Gabe,” Sam said. “I want you to take me. Want you to show me that you’re the only one who gets to have me.”  There was a pause and Gabe’s throat went dry. “Please? Please, Gabriel--I need you.”

 

Gabriel’s mind stopped at Sam’s words.  He was stuck on being the only one allowed to have Sam this way.  He obviously wasn’t the first--but he damn sure was going to be the last, if he had anything to say about it.  “Only me?” was all he could manage.

 

A single nod and Sam said, “Only you, Gabe.  I only want you.”

 

The sedate, tender pace of moments ago was gone as Gabriel captured Sam’s mouth once more, his hands scrabbling at the younger man’s pants, yanking them down as fast as he possibly could.  His lips left Sam’s as he looked down at the impressive sight of his lover’s tented briefs. “Want that in my mouth again, but it’s gonna have to wait,” Gabe gasped.

 

He placed his hand over Sam’s erection and gave a light squeeze.  Sam groaned and his head tilted back, hitting the headboard at the contact.  “Gabriel,” the moan was soft, pleading.

 

Gabe’s fingers were working Sam’s underwear down as well, the thick cockhead popping out, glistening with precum.  “Love it when you say my name,” Gabe murmured, running a palm along Sam’s length.

 

“Yeah?” Sam’s voice was playful.  “I think you’ll like it better when I’m  _ screaming _ it.”

 

Gabe clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes.  He reached up and ran a hand through Sam’s hair before grabbing a handful and lightly tugging, making Sam gasp.  “I know that I’m going to love hearing you scream my name,” he said, nipping at Sam’s lips. “So you can start doing that anytime.”

 

Sam rolled his hips, into Gabe’s hand and made a soft sound.  “Make me,” he challenged.

 

Groaning, Gabe let his head drop, resting their foreheads together.  One of his hands was still gripping tightly into Sam’s hair and the other was softly squeezing his lover’s hard dick.  “Kiddo,” he sighed, “You don’t know what you’re asking.”

 

“Yes I do,” Sam told him.  “I want to scream for you as you fuck me raw.  And if you don’t hurry the fuck up,” Sam was smiling, but his voice was deadly serious.  “I’m going to pin you down and climb on that thick cock of yours myself. Ride you ‘til you can’t breathe.”

 

“The fucking mouth on you,” Gabe was impressed.  And so fucking turned on. He actually growled when he felt Sam pulling at his still closed jeans.  The kid was right, they needed to be naked immediately. He got up onto his knees and began to take his remaining clothes off, while Sam did the same.  Their eyes were hungry, both men licking their lips, eyes wide at the skin being exposed under each other’s gaze.

 

Clothes gone, Gabe pounced on Sam again, their lips meeting in a filthy kiss that was full of promise.  Sam’s hands were grabbing Gabe’s ass and squeezing. He could feel the harsh rub of their cocks against one another and Gabe knew that he wasn’t going to have enough patience to keep dragging this out.  He needed Sam so fiercely that his chest actually  _ ached _ .

 

The next kiss was hard enough to make Gabe flinch before he scrambled away and off of the bed.  Sam made an angry sound as Gabe began to paw through his suitcase. He was staring at Gabriel, blinking in confusion, until the smaller man jumped back onto the bed with a bottle of lube and a condom.  He smiled when Sam’s concerned expression disappeared and he was hit with a look of pure desire on the younger man’s face.

 

“Lucky for us, I’m prepared,” Gabe smirked.  He  _ was  _ happy that he had supplies, but he really hoped that Sam didn’t read too much into the fact that Gabe had shown up for the wedding with the goal of getting laid.  He hadn’t entirely expected this, but he’d thrown the stuff into his bag at the last minute. It was good foresight, but he was crossing his fingers that Sam didn’t take it the wrong way in the morning.

 

Settling down next to Sam’s side, Gabriel poured some of the lube onto his fingers as he watched Sam slide down into the pillows, spreading his legs, his eyes tracking Gabe’s every move.  When Sam licked his lips, Gabe actually groaned at the sight. Fuck, the kid was so hot. “Want you,” Sam whined.

 

He smiled and placed one slick finger to Sam’s hole, rubbing lightly, watching the need grow on his lover’s face.  When Gabe finally pushed his finger in, Sam’s mouth fell open and he made the most delicious sound. Gabe felt his own cock twitch and he had to force himself to keep going slow, so that he wouldn’t hurt Sam with his eagerness.  Gabe took his time, sliding his finger in and out, circling inside of Sam, watching how beautiful the other man looked as he gave in to the pleasure. Each time that Gabriel brushed his lover’s prostate, Sam would gasp and push down onto Gabe’s hand.

 

By the time he had three fingers inside of Sam, the younger man was begging to be taken.  The filthy words falling from Sam’s lips were like a prayer, just for Gabriel. “You’re so fucking perfect, Sam,” Gabe praised, his fingers stroking, making Sam wriggle and moan.

 

“Stop teasing,” Sam cried.  “Fuck me, Gabriel. Please.”

 

When Gabe’s hand pulled away, Sam made a frustrated noise, until the condom wrapper crinkled.  He cracked open his eyes, his chest heaving, as he watched Gabe slide the condom over himself. “Finally,” Sam huffed, as Gabriel moved between his legs.  “How do you want me?”

 

Gabe pressed a soft kiss to Sam’s lips, his cock rubbing lightly against the younger man’s hole.  “Just like this,” Gabe whispered. “I have so many plans for you in the future,” he admitted. “But tonight--I want to see your face.  I want to be able to kiss you, while I’m fucking your sweet ass.”

 

Sam keened and pushed himself into Gabe, who chuckled and kissed him once more.  He could see the wanting, the impatience, the basic  _ need  _ on Sam’s face as he lined himself up.  He was finally going to have Sam, and Gabriel felt as though he actually  _ was  _ the happiest guy on Earth.  He couldn’t even imagine wanting anyone else this desperately.  It was so fast, the two of them falling in this way. Too quickly, too perfectly, and Gabriel was addicted.

 

He slid into Sam, inching forward, allowing the kid to adjust to Gabe’s rather impressive girth.  He knew that he wasn’t the easiest to take for the bottom from his past experiences. His last male ‘fuck buddy’ had insisted on topping every time, because he was intimidated by Gabe’s size.  While Gabriel was a firm switch and was fine with that arrangement, he did enjoy topping quite a bit. He was so excited that Sam was allowing this--he’d figured that the taller man might not want to give up control to someone of Gabe’s stature, but Sam wasn’t like that.  Gabe actually shook his head at the thought. Sam was perfect. He was everything that Gabriel wanted, and more importantly, needed.

 

His hands were braced on the bed, boxing Sam in, and Gabe was trying to go as slow as he possibly could.  The little winces, Sam’s wrinkled nose, made Gabe stop, hovering, his cock halfway in. “You okay, kiddo?”

 

“Yes,” Sam hissed.  His eyes fluttered open when Gabriel still hadn’t moved.  “What’s the matter?”

 

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Gabe grunted.

 

Sam’s eyes closed and he sighed, his inner muscles squeezing around Gabe’s dick, making his gasp.  “You’re not hurting me. I love how you feel. So fucking good for me. I want more, Gabe.” He pulsed his body around Gabriel once more.  “I want you.”

 

Gabriel groaned and sunk in with one smooth glide.  Sam gasped loudly, his fingers raking down Gabe’s back.  When he was fully seated inside of Sam, Gabe paused again, watching Sam’s face for any discomfort.  When there was none, and Sam started to move beneath him, Gabriel finally pulled back.

 

Sam grabbed at him frantically, and Gabriel gently took his lover’s hands and pinned them down.  His arms were spread on either side of them, pushing Sam’s wrists into the bed as he began to rock into the beautiful man beneath him.  

 

He smirked into a kiss as Sam fought half-heartedly against him before simply melting and allowing Gabriel to control everything.  Long legs locked around Gabe’s waist, heels pushing into him, a silent cry for more, harder, faster, please. Sam’s arms were out to the side, his fingers making fists into the air as Gabriel thrust into him.  Gabe let go of Sam, his hands running down the sides of his lover’s body in a gentle caress, worshiping. His strokes were smooth and firm, as he covered Sam’s lips, cheeks, and neck with sweet, tender kisses. 

 

For the first time in his life, Gabriel Novak was making love.  And he couldn’t get enough.

 

Sam’s ankles were hooked around him, pushing at Gabe, trying to force his movements.  Gabriel ignored the insistent press and kept up the slow, tortuous pace as he fucked deep into Sam.  He ran his tongue along the shell of Sam’s ear before dipping his head down to his lover’s smooth shoulder and nipping at the skin.

 

“Gabe, more!” Sam moaned under him, trying to fuck himself onto Gabriel’s cock.  “Please, please, please!”

 

He pushed into Sam, and he knew that he’d hit the kid’s prostate head on when Sam cried out and shuddered.  Without thinking, Gabe sunk his teeth into Sam’s shoulder, enough to bruise, but not harm. Sam gasped at the bite, his arms flying up and wrapping around Gabriel, embracing him tightly.  “Oh, fuck, yes!” Sam was screaming. 

 

“My name, kiddo,” Gabe reminded him, licking the teeth indentations on Sam.  “You promised to scream my name.”

 

“Gabriel!” Sam yelled.  He kept shouting the name, over and over.  It was a fucking aphrodisiac if Gabe had ever heard of one.  His name on Sam’s lips in a scream of ecstasy--Gabriel wanted to hear that for the rest of his life.

 

Pumping his hips, Gabe’s cock pulsed inside of Sam as the younger man tightened his body.  Gabriel sped up, rocking into his lover, gasping between the kisses he was raining over Sam’s face.  His perfect partner, his perfect  _ Sam _ , was still shouting his name, his voice getting slightly hoarse, and Gabe knew that he was almost there.  “I love you, kiddo,” he whispered.

 

Sam froze, his mouth open, eyes locked onto Gabriel as he registered what had been said.  Without warning, Sam came hard, untouched. The warm, sticky mess slid between them and it sent Gabe over the edge.  He grunted and fucked into Sam once more before filling the condom with his own release.

 

They were both frozen, gripping the other as tightly as possible, foreheads touching, sweat snaking down their skin as each one tried to control their breathing.  Sam gulped and blinked up at Gabriel, who was still buried inside of him. “I’ve never done that.”

 

“Bottomed?” Gabe asked, praying to anyone that it wasn’t what Sam meant.

 

“No,” Sam chuckled.  “I bottom a lot, actually.  No,” he paused. “I’ve never come untouched before.”

 

Gabriel’s laugh was strained.  “Glad to help you check that off the bucket list then.”  He pursed his lips and looked at Sam hard. “You’ve really never done that?”  

 

Sam shook his head.  “Something about you just makes me so fucking turned on that I couldn’t help it.”

 

“That is...incredibly hot.”  Gabe shifted and pulled out of Sam, who puffed out his lips in a pout.  “Cute, kiddo,” Gabe laughed. He rolled up and took off the condom, practically sprinting on wobbly legs to the bathroom.  He threw the profilactic away and returned with a warm cloth. In the room, Sam was bitching, asking Gabe to come back. It was fucking cute, and Gabe didn’t do cute, which was throwing him off.  He had freshened up quickly in the restroom, and when he came back, he looked down at Sam fondly, while he began to clean the younger man’s skin. Sam leaned into the touch, and bit his lower lip, which might have been the cutest, sexiest thing that Gabriel could think of.  Fuck.

 

Gabriel was feeling lazy, and he wanted to be back in bed with his gorgeous...lover?  Boyfriend? They were going to have to figure that shit out. Hopefully soon. Without a word, Gabriel tossed the used, wet cloth over his shoulder where it landed somewhere on the floor.  He crawled onto the bed and maneuvered a rather limp Sam, and himself, under the covers. Once they were both snuggled into the bed, Gabe plastered himself into Sam’s side, resting his head on the other man’s chest.

 

“I’m never going to fucking move,” Gabe mumbled.  Sam’s laugh rumbled through him, and Gabriel nuzzled closer.  “Tonight was a first for me too,” Gabe finally said.

 

“First what?”

 

Gabriel tilted his head up and locked eyes with Sam.  “I’ve never had sex with someone that I...had feelings for.”

 

Sam’s eyebrows raised and his sleepy gaze was gone.  “Never? You’ve never been in love?”

 

“No,” Gabe grumbled.  “Have you?”

 

There was silence, long enough that Gabriel started to get worried.  He felt Sam’s hand running down his back, in long, soothing strokes. The look on his face was heartbreaking though, and Gabe was regretting even asking the question.  “I guess not,” he finally said. “I thought I was, but...no. I told Jess that I loved her, and she would say it back,” Sam bit his lip. “But when she left--when she  _ cheated _ and left--I realized that she didn’t love me at all.  You don’t do that kind of shit to people you love, you know?”  Gabe nodded solemnly. “After a little while, I realized that I wasn’t as broken up about it as I thought I would be,” Sam continued.  “So, I guess,” he smiled at Gabriel. “That I wasn’t in love with her either, in the end. But,” Sam looked so scared for a split second.  “I feel as though I’m really in love with you. That’s insane, isn’t it?”

 

Gabriel leaned up and kissed Sam.  He brushed his lips to Sam’s softly before pressing his tongue firmly into Sam’s mouth, staking his claim.  “Not insane,” he said as he pulled away. “Like I said, I’ve never felt this before. But I do...with you.” Gabe focused on Sam’s lips because he just didn’t have the balls to look the kid in the eye at the moment.  “It’s different. It’s so good, and I’m fucking scared,” Gabriel admitted. “You’re going to have to be a little patient with me, I think.”

 

“I can do that,” Sam smiled at him.

 

They kissed sloppily for a while before Sam announced the time and they both realized that they weren’t going to get a decent night’s sleep.  It was fucking worth it, in Gabe’s mind. He tucked himself into Sam’s side, revelling in the feeling of those thick arms curled around him. It was comforting and kind of sexy--Gabe couldn’t have been happier.  His eyes slid shut, and Sam pressed a soft kiss into Gabriel’s hair as he whispered ‘goodnight.’

 

As Gabriel held Sam close and began to drift off to sleep, he knew that he had officially been ruined for anyone else.  He needed Sam like he needed air. He was going to do everything in his power to make sure that Sam was his. Only his, for as long as the kid would have him.  Fuck. Gabriel Novak was in fucking love. It was a damn miracle.


	9. You Can't Brunch With Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is a naughty shower, Gabe has another inappropriate shirt (according to Michael), and Lucifer is even more pushy than before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NSFW shower times, threatening language between family.

When Gabriel haphazardly smacked at his phone to turn off the alarm the next morning, Sam had a feeling that the whining, and fake tears, were something he would have to get used to.  It was sort of cute when Gabe moaned “fucking fuck,” before snuggling back into the covers and wrapping himself around Sam’s body. Obviously the man wasn’t much of a morning person. Sam, however, was. He’d already been awake when the alarm sounded. The ensuing flailing and bitching was enough entertainment to make him realize he really wanted to start the day—mostly so it would end.  He had a feeling that he’d get to explore a few more fantasies that evening—hopefully with Gabriel smiling and naked. 

 

Despite the desire to speed up time, he was rather enjoying the weight of Gabriel pressed into his side, draped over his torso. Gabe’s eyes were firmly shut, but he was gently nuzzling his cheek to Sam’s chest.  The light stubble grinding into his skin was causing Sam’s dick to take notice. He tried not to chuckle at the sight of the older man’s obvious snuggles, but he failed miserably. “You’re moving too much,” Gabe muttered, his fingers curling into Sam’s skin.

 

“Sorry,” Sam shook with more laughter. “But this is sleeping in for me.  I’m usually awake by six on my days off. And besides,” Sam snorted, “you are really cute like this.”

 

Gabriel’s eyes snapped open and he attempted to glare up at his lover. Sam just laughed at him more and leaned down to press a kiss into Gabe’s hair. “You’re all rumpled and grumpy and it’s really adorable,” Sam said. 

 

“I am  _ not _ adorable, kiddo,” Gabe huffed. But he did stop glaring and went back to rubbing himself on Sam. “Sexy?  Yes. Charming? Of course.  _ Not _ cute.”

 

“What about cuddly?” Sam said pointedly. 

 

Gabriel stopped snuggling and froze. He made a humming sound and then started up once more as though he’d decided that he just didn’t care. “Not usually,” Gabe said as he pressed a kiss to one of Sam’s pecs. “But you seem to be changing things. I’ll be house-broken before you know it,” he joked. 

 

Chuckling and scooting back down into the bed so he could kiss Gabriel properly, Sam said, “I think I like snuggly Gabe.”

 

“Good,” Gabriel said. He kissed Sam sloppily on the lips. “Because you can’t return me.”

 

“No,” Sam agreed.  “I already threw away your receipt, so I’m just going to have to keep you.”

 

“Excellent,” Gabe moved, pulling himself almost fully on top of Sam as they kissed. He pushed his knee in between Sam’s legs and settled himself exactly where he wanted. “I want to keep you here, naked, all day,” Gabe spoke between soft kisses all over Sam’s face. “But unfortunately we have places to be.  That alarm was my ‘Last Chance to be on Time’ alarm.”

 

Sam grabbed Gabriel around the waist and pushed, rolling the smaller man onto his back. He was actually surprised at the amount of effort it took to manhandle Gabriel. For a shorter guy, Gabe was remarkably strong and sturdy. Sam looked forward to exploring  _ that _ at some point in the future. Gabe let Sam move him with just a little resistance, and when Sam climbed on top, Gabriel just smirked and pushed his hips up into Sam’s groin. “Tease,” Gabe admonished.  “I like it though.”

 

“I’m not a tease if I plan on jerking you off, am I?” Sam mouthed at Gabe’s neck. 

 

“No time,” Gabriel groaned with frustration. 

 

Sam took a moment to suckle on the thinner skin of Gabe’s neck, wanting to leave a mark of his own. “There’s time if we shower together and I get you off in there.”

 

It was comical how quickly Gabriel forced himself up and out of the bed. Sam barely realized what was happening before his lover was already in the bathroom with the shower running. “Hurry up, Sam!” Gabe called.  

 

Laughing fully, Sam pulled himself to his feet and followed Gabriel into the luxurious shower.  They met under the spray, Gabe’s fingers digging into Sam’s hips. Both men rubbed their bodies flush together, each of them groaning when they realized the height difference was working against them. “Fuck, kiddo,” Gabriel grumbled. “Why do you have to be so freaking tall?”

 

“I drank a lot of milk as a kid,” Sam teased. 

 

Snorting, Gabe curled his fingers around Sam’s cock with a grin. “I drank milk too,” he said. “And then I reached a perfectly acceptable height and  _ stopped  _ growing.  You know, like a normal person.”

 

“At least you’ll never lose me in a crowd,” Sam bit his lip as Gabriel teased his dick with featherlight touches. 

 

“I don’t plan on losing you  _ ever _ , you sexy giant,” Gabe’s free hand pushed into Sam’s hip, guiding the taller man backwards. 

 

Sam was confused, but he was also focused almost entirely on his cock and how good Gabriel was making him feel. When the backs of his legs hit the wide stone bench of the shower, Sam finally understood through the haze of pleasure. He slipped a little as he hurried to sit down. 

 

The bench was cold against his skin, but the hot spray of water could still reach them. The differences in temperature were almost a shock to the system. He only had time to blink before Gabriel was on him, climbing up into his lap, his knees resting on either side of Sam on the cool bench.  “Much better,” Gabriel murmured into a sloppy kiss, his talented fingers closing around both of their hard lengths. 

 

It  _ was _ better. In this position, they could grind and rub and  _ feel _ each other perfectly. Gabriel’s hand didn’t close fully around both of them, so Sam covered the exposed parts with his own palm. Their fingers brushed and twisted together as the two men stroked in unison. “This is so hot,” Sam looked down. “I’m not going to last.”

 

Gabriel just hummed at him and thrust his hips gently into their closed fists. As Gabe’s thick cock slid against Sam’s they both cried out. “Don’t hold back,” Gabe panted. “We’re on a schedule—and I want to see watch you fall apart. Come for me—just for me.”

 

Sam didn’t need to be told twice.  He fixed his eyes on his lap and watched their dicks rubbing together. Moments later he was spilling over their hands and crying into Gabriel’s mouth as his lover kissed him deeply. Gabe followed seconds later, slumping bonelessly into Sam as they came down. 

 

They took a brief respite where they simply clung to one another, the water of the shower splashing them, before Gabe grunted and rolled off of Sam to his feet. It was awkward looking, but Gabe managed to find his footing and back up until he was being drenched by the shower. Sam watched, his lips parted, as the rivulets of water snaked down Gabriel’s body, washing away the evidence of their activities. 

 

He stood and joined Gabriel, knowing that they did have to get going, and that the semen on his own body wasn’t a pleasant feeling. They washed themselves quickly, taking time to tease each other just enough to start getting them worked up once more. 

 

Weirdly enough, Gabriel was the one who put an end to it, stepping out into the bathroom and grabbing one of the large towels hanging nearby. “You’re making me be the grown up one here, kiddo,” Gabe shook a finger at Sam as they dried off. “I don’t like being the adult—it looks bad on me.”

 

“I think responsible Gabriel is sort of sexy,” Sam told him. “I don’t want to see him all the time, but on occasion,” he let the thought trail off. 

 

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Gabe winked.  “Sometimes I’ll make you eat all your vegetables.”

 

“That’s not really a problem for me,” Sam laughed. “My diet is about eighty-three percent salads.”  Gabe wrinkled his nose at that and made a sad sound, causing Sam to almost giggle. 

 

Dry, they both moved to the room, pulling out clothes, uncaring that they were nude in front of each other. Sam sometimes felt self-conscious about being naked—especially with a new lover, but for some reason it felt so comfortable and  _ right  _ with Gabriel. 

 

Gabriel had donned a pair of sinfully tight dark wash jeans that made Sam want to drool. He tracked the smaller man with his eyes as Gabe wandered shirtless and barefoot back into the bathroom. Sam could resist the temptation for long and padded after him. Gabe was glaring at himself in the mirror and poking at his hair. “You’re so sexy,” Sam moved behind Gabriel and kissed the top of his head, earning him a glare. 

 

“You’re fucking up my hair,” Gabe pouted. 

 

“I know you well enough to know that you don’t actually care,” Sam laughed and kissed Gabe’s head again. Despite the fact that they had used the same products in the shower, Gabriel smelled so different. Without thinking, Sam inhaled deeply and almost melted. “You smell like lemons and chocolate,” Sam groaned. “How is that possible?”

 

“Sorry?” Gabe met Sam’s eyes in the mirror. 

 

“Don’t be,” Sam smiled, wrapping his arms around Gabe and pulling him backward into his arms. “It’s amazing. You smell so fucking good. I kind of want to just lick your whole body.  I’d take my time with it too. Just days and days doing nothing but tasting you.”

 

Gabriel swallowed visibly. “As much as I would enjoy that, I’m pretty sure the Grooms would murder us if we skipped out of the rest of the weekend.”

 

Sam grunted, but he knew Gabriel had a point and reluctantly let go. “I’m done adulting now,” Gabe said as they walked back into the room. “You have to take over and be the responsible one—for the rest of the weekend.  I’m done. You’re too fucking tempting.”

 

“Fine,” Sam glanced at his phone, checking the time. They were going to be late if they didn’t move along. He informed Gabriel who made a very odd sound and began to dig through his suitcase again. 

 

Thinking about their event that morning, Sam’s stomach gave a small rumble.  Hunger pangs and family drama aside, Sam was looking forward to brunch. “It might be sort of stereotypical that I’m a dude who likes other dudes,” Sam said.  “But I really do love brunch.”

 

“What’s not to love,” Gabe laughed.  “Bottomless mimosas, eggs benedict, fucking  _ bacon _ !  Ain’t no shame in loving brunch, Sammy!”  Gabe pulled on a fitted black shirt that had the words, ‘Man of Honor,’ printed across the chest.  

 

“Really?” Sam snickered at him, adjusting his tie.  Gabriel Novak was absolutely  _ no one’s  _ idea of normal, and Sam was loving it. “Isn’t that more for someone on the Bride’s Side?”

 

Snorting, Gabriel pointed to his shirt and said, “Please.  We all know Cassie is the Bride.”

 

“I’m actually going to fight you on that,” Sam laughed as he opened the door for Gabe and they stepped into the hall.  “Dean is  _ totally  _ the Bride here.”

 

They were still discussing their theories, each of them attempting to prove their point, when the elevator doors opened to reveal the rest of the Novaks.  Sam and Gabriel dissolved into laughter as they stepped inside. “What’s so amusing?” Lucifer eyed them.

 

“Gabriel,” Michael sighed, rubbing his temples.  “You’re not actually going to wear that are you?”

 

“Of course,” Gabe laughed.  “I had it screen-printed especially for this occasion.”

 

“You’re going to give me a migraine,” Michael groaned.  “Castiel will be upset.”

 

“I doubt it,” Gabe turned away from his siblings and slid his eyes over to Sam.  “He’ll probably still be pissed about his wedding gift at this point. The tracking email said that it was delivered earlier today.”

 

“Oh my God,” Sam stared at him, remembering the chocolate penis that Gabe had been attempting to purchase online in the airport when they met.  “I forgot all about that!”

 

Gabe chuckled.  “I didn’t.”

 

“What did you get him?” Michael asked, sounding exasperated.

 

“A chocolate cock.”  Gabe’s smile was unapologetic.  “He’s going to hate it.”

 

Lucifer burst out laughing from behind them, but he started pretending to cough when Michael glared at him.  “You’re such a child, Gabriel,” Michael sighed. It was clear that the eldest of them had given up hope for Gabe because he didn’t even attempt to cover his son’s ears at the word ‘cock.’

 

“You were both so much more fun last night,” Gabriel snorted.  “It’s depressing to see that my family is just a bunch of stuck up, boring assholes who--”

 

“Watch your tone,” Lucifer interrupted.  But he didn’t actually look upset. He was snickering at Gabriel, but his eyes were glued to Sam’s ass in front of him.

 

“Hey,” Gabe reached out and smacked his brother on the arm.  “You already had your turn.”

 

“Oh my god,” Sam muttered, his face flushing.  “I can’t believe you said that.”

 

“Are we missing something?” Anna asked from the corner, her sharp features taking in the antics of her older brothers and Sam’s obvious embarrassment.

 

Michael rolled his eyes.  “Whatever it is, I’m sure that we don’t want to know.”

 

“No, you don’t,” Sam agreed.

 

“It’s not a big deal,” Gabriel said, his eyes flashing at his brother.  “Luci thought that it would be funny to put his paws on my things before I knew that those things belonged to me.  That’s all.”

 

Michael Jr finally drew attention by saying, “You really should learn to share more Uncle Gabriel.”

 

“Yeah,” Gabe scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably and drawing the word out.  “Some things aren’t for sharing, buddy. Like people.”

 

“That’s not what mother says,” Michael Jr smiled innocently at them.  “She said I have to share my best friend Raphael with other people at school.  She said that sharing friends is fun. She and father share when they have their friends over for the Nighttime Parties.”

 

Sam was actually choking trying to control his laughter and school his features.  “Well,” Gabe winked at Hael. “I learn something new about your parents every day, I guess.”

 

“Oh my god,” Sam whispered.  “Your brother is a swinger!”

 

“I am having so many thoughts about this right now.” Gabe murmured to him. 

 

Cutting into their private conversation, Lucifer turned the focus back to himself, as usual.  “The kid’s right though. You really should share more, Gabriel. Especially with me.”

 

“Over my dead body,” Gabe shot back.  He sounded amused, but Sam could see Gabriel’s jaw working as he spoke. 

 

“I can arrange that,” countered Lucifer. 

 

“Boys,” Michael snapped with authority. “Stop. Now.”

 

Both brothers clicked their mouths shut, glaring. The silence didn’t last, due to Lucifer’s need to have the last word.   “You’re insane. And a whiny brat,” he hissed to Gabriel, moving so that he was standing on Sam’s other side. Lucifer moved quickly and was running his finger down Sam’s arm before he could pull away from his boss. “I’m sure that Sam will tire of you soon enough.”

 

Shocked at the blatant display between the brothers, Sam could only blink at Lucifer as the man continued to brush his skin. Thankfully, Gabriel wasn’t frozen to the spot and harshly smacked his older brother’s hand away from Sam. “You mentioned last night that I don’t fight, and you’re right. I’d much rather destroy people with words—I’m gifted at that. But brother,” Gabriel’s glare burned. “I  _ will  _ make an exception for Sam. Hands off—or I’ll  _ cut  _ them off, got it?”

 

Lucifer didn’t speak, but he  _ did _ step back and remove his fingers from Sam. Anna and Michael watched impassively, unwilling to get involved. Sam was beginning to realize that the Novaks were all about looking out for themselves and that the word ‘family’ did carry much weight. He wasn’t sure that he was comfortable with that. His parents might treat him as a second class citizen, but Sam didn’t think that they would ever deliberately hurt him. Lucifer had insinuated murder, while Gabriel had threatened mutilation, and their siblings seemed perfectly content. It was slightly creepy to Sam. 

 

“Thank you,” Sam whispered in Gabriel’s ear as he moved to stand closer to his lover. Gabe slipped his arm around Sam’s waist and continued to watch his brother on the other side of the elevator. 

 

The group exited the hotel in silence and waited out front for their rides. Gabriel had insisted that Sam call for a separate car for the two of them, whispering that he was unwilling to deal with Luci for a few hours. 

 

Brunch was being held at the wedding venue, so that they could all mingle over food and then move right into the rehearsal easier. Castiel and Dean had picked a location on the outskirts of town that specialized in events. The wedding would be held outside in the small gardens on the property at Cas’ request; the reception, in the large refurbished barn on the back of the property. 

 

Sam had looked the place up online thinking that a barn would be trashy and possibly dilapidated.  He had been pleasantly surprised when the photographs online showed gleaming blonde wood floors along with crystal and iron light fixtures.  It was well maintained and obviously stylish, melding rustic charm with high end touches. Sam figured that Cas had selected the place since it seemed a bit refined for Dean’s usual tastes. 

 

The ride out there took almost twenty minutes and Sam refused to let go of Gabe’s hand for the entire trip. Occasionally they would share a soft, chaste kiss, knowing that anything more could land them in trouble.  This driver didn’t seem to care either way, which was a blessing. 

 

Sam jumped on the opportunity to clear something up with Gabriel.  “So, now that you know about your brother and sister-in-law’s ‘secret life.’” Sam said quietly. “I just want to make it perfectly clear that while I can be pretty adventurous—I don’t share.”

 

“I believe that my family made it rather obvious that I’m terrible at sharing as well,” Gabe reassured him, pecking Sam’s cheek. “You’re all mine and I’m not giving you away—to anyone, for any reason.”  

 

Sam smiled and spent the rest of the ride looking out of the window at the scenery.  They arrived just behind the large car carrying Gabriel’s family, which prompted the two men to sit in their own for a few minutes until Lucifer wandered off. “Sorry,” Gabe grumbled as he stood. “I’m not super confrontational to be honest, and I’d rather just... _ not _ right now.”

 

“That’s okay,” Sam brushed his finger down Gabe’s cheek.  “You know that I’m a lawyer, right? So I am more than happy to do the confronting.”

 

Gabe smiled at him, although it looked strained. “Thanks, kiddo.  What can I say—I’m more of a lover, than a fighter.”

 

“That is a  _ very  _ accurate statement,” Sam leaned down for a kiss. “And I could care less if you’re a fighter because you are one hell of a good lover.”

 

That seemed to brighten Gabriel’s spirits and he wrapped his hands around Sam’s neck and kissed him in earnest. Sam’s eyes fluttered shut as he lost himself in the feel and the taste of Gabriel.  He allowed himself a full minute of serious kissing before he reluctantly pulled away and slid his hand into Gabe’s. “Can we continue this later?” Sam asked softly. 

 

“You bet,” Gabe grinned up at him. “I have plans for you for the foreseeable future.  Naked plans.”

 

“Yeah, me too.”  Sam didn’t lend voice to his thoughts, but so many dirty, suggestive things rolled through his mind. Mostly involving Gabriel holding him down and fucking him brutally. Sam gave a small, awkward laugh as Gabe motioned that they should join the others. 

 

They walked along a stone path that wound slowly through the property toward the venue’s barn. Sam had to admit that what he’d seen so far looked amazing.  Obviously Castiel had impeccable taste. He wondered if Gabe would want something like this, which made him stumble a bit on the stones. “Woah,” Gabe reached for him, steadying Sam.  “You okay?”

 

“I’m good,” Sam lied. He was so far from anything good at the moment. Physically he was fine, but his mind was churning. He kept picturing Gabe in a tux and he was shocked at how much the idea made him  _ want _ .  Sam realized that he had to accept the fact that he was lost. He’d fallen, and fallen  _ hard _ for a short, snarky man that he barely knew. If he was already thinking weddings, there was no coming back from this. Fuck. 

 

Gabriel was eyeing him, his hand still bracing Sam’s hip. He scrambled for something to say, but before he could stop himself, Sam blurted, “Would you want something big and showy like this?”

 

Wrinkling his nose, Gabe raised an eyebrow, hitting all of Sam’s buttons with his expression.  “For a wedding? For me?” Gabe smiled wickedly. “I do love all the glitz and bullshit like that,” he said. “But I told you on the plane that I’m more of a quickie in Vegas kind of boy.”

 

“Right,” Sam breathed, embarrassed that he’d let that tidbit slip his mind. 

 

“Why?” Gabe’s expression was downright sinful. “Something on your mind, kiddo?”

 

Sam gulped and shook his head, trying to play off that he was anything but a huge ball of nerves. “No,” he managed.  “I was just...yeah,” Sam shifted his feet. Gabriel just smiled at him, holding Sam’s hand and waiting. “Me too,” Sam finally said.  “Vegas, that is. That’s more my style, I think.”

 

“Good to know,” Gabe smiled and tugged on Sam’s hand as they began to walk once more. 

 

They spotted a cluster of people standing just outside the large barn doors, holding various cocktails and chatting.  Cas and Dean were smack dab in the center. Sam noticed that Castiel kept reaching to hold Dean’s hand and then pulling away as though he thought better of it. That was weird in Sam’s mind, since the two of them were getting married in the morning. But as he thought back, Sam realized that his big brother was pretty firmly anti-PDA.  That could be what was holding Cas back. Whatever—it wasn’t his problem.

 

Maybe Gabe was right, and he had to stop looking at his family dynamic as how much he had to do to make everyone  _ else  _ happy.  Sam wasn’t even sure how to go about doing that. He’d been conditioned for so long that he came last, and that was that.  Gabriel had blew into his life three days ago and already Sam felt as though someone finally wanted to put him first—do what was best for  _ him _ and not themselves...or Dean. It was an addicting feeling. 

 

“Dude, really?” Dean said quietly to Sam. He looked at his brother in confusion until Dean gestured to his neck with agitation. “You let him mark you up?  That’s going to look like shit in the photos!”

 

For the first time in his memory, Sam didn’t immediately bow to his brother. “Like you actually care about the stupid photos?” Sam grumbled defiantly, but he pulled up the collar of his shirt in an attempt to hide the numerous hickies dotting his neck.  The last thing he needed was for either of his parent’s to see Gabe’s handiwork. 

 

Gabriel had inserted himself into a conversation with Charlie who gleefully laughed at Gabriel’s choice of wardrobe.  “‘Man of Honor?’” She smiled, poking Gabe in the belly with familiarity. “Guess that means Cas is the Bride? Although,” she smirked at Dean, “I would have thought that my bestie was the one in the veil.”

 

Everyone stopped and looked at Gabriel, taking in his printed t-shirt.  Gabe just shrugged and laughed, letting go of Sam to give his brother a little side-hug.

 

“I’m not a bride, Gabriel,” Cas sighed when he saw his brother’s shirt.  Dean smirked and opened his mouth to speak when Castiel cut him off. “However, if we  _ were _ going to go with traditional gender-conforming roles in the event of our wedding--”

 

“Cas,” Dean cut him off.  “Less robot, more natural.”

 

“ _ You _ would be the bride, Dean.”

 

Everyone laughed as Dean’s mouth dropped open at his future husband’s statement.  Sam clapped his brother on the back and said, “You heard the man, Dean.”

 

The rest of the mirth was cut off when Mary popped her head around the corner of the building and waved at them.  “Hurry up! They just started serving brunch and we  _ are  _ on a schedule, boys!”

 

She smiled brightly at Cas and Dean as they broke away and began to follow her, but she didn’t spare a glance for her youngest.  It was as though Sam wasn’t even there. No one noticed as he hung back from the group with Gabriel at his side. “I got your back, kiddo,” Gabe whispered.

 

There were no words.  Sam forced a smile and held onto Gabe’s hand like a lifeline.  He could do this. He had to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is almost finished, and I have plans to have it posted on May 2nd, in time for Sam's birthday!! And I think that it is something you have all been waiting for--the next chapter will be the final straw for Gabriel, featuring him finally giving a verbal beat-down to the Winchesters! Until then...


	10. I'lll Use Small Words, So You'll Be Sure To Understand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the Winchesters get their asses handed to them by Gabriel, and Sam has a rather naughty and rebellious idea of his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Verbal Beat Downs and NSFW semi-public, sort of rough sex. They don't have supplies with them, and they just go for it anyway--don't do that though, its painful and not safe.
> 
> Also, it is the anniversary of The Battle of Hogwarts (21 years ago in 1998) for those of us in the Harry Potter fandom.
> 
> And it's SAM WINCHESTER'S BIRTHDAY!! So here is a chapter that I really had fun with to celebrate Sammy's birthday :)

Gabriel _loved_ how Sam’s hand felt in his own.  He never wanted to let go. Their fingers were twisted together and it just felt so incredibly _right_.  Which was why, when they stepped into the barn, Gabriel’s face fell as Sam abruptly let go of him. He frowned up at the taller man in confusion until he realized that Mary Winchester was coming toward them. “Sam, honey,” she said.  “You’re late.”

 

“We got here at the same time as Cas’ family,” Sam protested.

 

“Well, they don’t know the area,” she told her son. “So they can be forgiven for running a bit behind. _You_ should know better though. You wouldn’t want to ruin Dean’s wedding, would you?”

 

“Today isn’t the wedding,” Gabe pointed out, his brow furrowed. He felt as though Sam was the Winchester Scapegoat, and he wasn’t a fan of that scenario.

 

“This whole weekend is for Dean and Castiel,” Mary said, barely sparing him a glance before turning back to Sam. “You’re Dean’s Best Man,” she continued. “You need to try harder for your brother.”

 

“Okay,” Sam said, defeated. “I’m sorry.”

 

“Make sure you apologize to your brother and Cas too,” she instructed.  Mary hummed, reaching out to smooth Sam’s tie. “You still haven’t said sorry for the fact that you checked a plus one on the invitation, and still showed up alone. You know that mistake will cost your brother money, having to pay for someone who isn’t here. It’s rude, Sam.”

 

“Again,” Sam said. He was starting to sound weary. “I’m sorry. I thought that I would have a date. Things...didn’t work out.”  He didn’t elaborate, but the simple tone made Gabe want to hold and protect. Whatever he wasn’t saying was a sore spot for Sam.

 

“I’m just _so_ disappointed that you broke up with that nice girl, Jess,” Mary said, picking imaginary lint off of Sam’s shirt. “I had looked forward to finally meeting her.  But you just can’t seem to stay in a relationship, can you?”

 

Gabriel gaped at her blatant rudeness. “You know that _I_ didn’t break up with her, mom,” Sam replied. “ _She_ left _me_.  For Brady.”

 

“That foul-mouthed _roommate_ of yours that you used to sleep with?  Good riddance to him, I’m sure.” Mary’s mouth was pursed in a line.

 

“He wasn’t my roommate,” Sam sighed, as though this was a common conversation.  “He was my boyfriend. We dated for over a year.”

 

“Of course he was,” Mary absently patted her son’s arm. Gabriel watched her carefully—something told him that she wasn’t finished. “Sam, there is just no good reason for a lovely girl like Jess to leave _you_ for someone like _Brady_.  Which means that you must have done something to drive her away.”

 

Sam looked taken aback as he asked, “What?”

 

“If you manage to find someone else who will put up with you, maybe make more of an effort. Help with the dishes, try harder in the bedroom— _something_ —at least make an attempt to keep them around for more than a few weeks.”  Before either of them could respond, Mary walked away to take her place in line for the brunch buffet.

 

“What the _fuck_?” Gabe hissed, looking up at Sam.

 

His lover shook his head, in shock. “That was new,” Sam finally said. “She’s never suggested that I’m bad in bed before.”

 

“Well I am more than happy to give a graphic and glowing review, kiddo,” Gabe was seething, but trying to remain light and calm. It was a fucking effort.  Gabriel was pissed.

 

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Sam was smiling, but Gabriel could see in his eyes how hurt he was.  He didn’t like anything about this, but whatever he had with Sam was so new, he didn’t want to overstep.  Sam might not appreciate Gabriel coming to his rescue—especially since it would most likely involve a verbal beatdown of the kid’s relatives.

 

In an attempt to calm his own unpleasant emotions, as well as Sam’s, Gabriel pulled him down into a firm, yet quick kiss.  He ached to just grab Sam and drag him to a private corner of the grounds where he’d push the taller man against a tree and make Sam forget everything except him. He wanted to take that forlorn look off of his lover’s face—hopefully with either his mouth, or his dick—more than anything. He hated seeing Sam this way. It hurt. It physically _hurt_ knowing that his wonderful Samshine was upset.

 

He reluctantly removed his lips from Sam’s. “If it gets to be too much, you just say the word and I’m taking you out of here.”

 

“That won’t be necessary,” Sam assured him. “But thanks, Gabe.”

 

He didn’t like that Sam joined his mother in the queue for food without taking Gabe’s hand once more.  Gritting his teeth, he went to stand next to Sam. He knew that he had to find a way to let Mary’s implications and insults go—he needed to pick his battles. This was not one that Sam seemed to want to fight, so Gabe would take his lover’s lead. If Sam could brush that kind of shit off, then Gabriel could as well.

 

The line moved quickly, seeing as there weren’t very many people in attendance.  Only the two grooms, the eight groomsmen and bridesmaids, as well as John, Mary, Hael and Mikey Jr were present.  Predictably, Cas had chosen his siblings as attendants; while Dean had picked Sam and his three closest friends. Gabe watched as Benny and Jo sat at an empty table together, picking things off of each other’s plates, and he wondered if they had something between them.

 

Holding his plate to his chest as he moved closer to the array of food, Gabriel turned away to check out the culinary options. In front of him, Sam was piling roughly two pounds of bacon on his own platter.  “Damn, kiddo,” Gabe chuckled. “And here you had me convinced that you ate healthy food.”

 

“Meat is good for you,” Sam hedged, moving away from the crispy bacon. “And bacon always gets a pass, because...reasons.”

 

“Delicious reasons,” Gabriel teased, scooping up a decent amount of breakfast meat for himself.

 

While Sam moved on the mini quiches and gluten free muffins, Gabriel skipped ahead and began to fill the rest of his plate with chocolate croissants, candied pineapple tarts, and a pile of French toast drizzled with caramel.  When he went to take a seat, he almost collided with Sam who gaped at his selections. “Holy fucking calories, Batman,” Sam laughed. “Is this why you’re sort of...you know—hyper?”

 

Gabriel rolled his eyes as they slid into seats at the same table as Jo and Benny, noting that the pair looked unusually unkempt.  He’d picked the table because it was as far away from John and Mary that he could get, and he didn’t want to say anything that would have the others asking him and Sam to leave.  “You’ve discovered my super power,” he said to Sam. “I survive solely on a diet of sugar. Without at least a metric fuck-ton of it each day, I’ll wither away into a somewhat normal and more respectable version of myself.”

 

“Keep eating sugar then, Willy Wonka,” Sam said. “Because I don’t want you to change.”

 

“You two are so adorable that it’s sort of gross,” Jo told them.  “I take it that you both had a good night?”

 

Gabe gave Jo an over-dramatic look of seduction.  “If by good, you mean that Sammy let me worship at the altar of his very large and delectable—“. Jo interrupted him with squeaks about her ‘delicate ears,’ which both Sam and Benny laughed off.  

 

“I guess that explains all the love bites,” Benny gestured with his fork.

 

“I bet Dean wasn’t too happy about that,” Jo added once she’d calmed down.  Sam shook his head and silently ate his food. “You probably should have been more considerate, since you’re here for Dean,” Jo’s voice was casual.  There was something about it though that was almost like a lecture, as though the slight blonde was chastising Sam for having a few hickies.

 

“I don’t really see why it’s any of Dean’s business if Sam indulged in a little heavy kissing,” Gabriel said, his voice measured.

 

Both Jo and Benny shrugged.  “It will look bad in the pictures,” Benny said.

 

“No one’s ever heard of photoshop?” Gabe arched a brow.

 

“It’s just kind of trashy,” Jo responded.

 

He could feel Sam stiffen next to him, red rising in the taller man’s cheeks.  Something in Gabriel snapped. He was honestly amazed that it had taken this long for him to give in to his natural instincts to _shred_ anything that threatened his man. He might not enjoy throwing punches, he may even have run away from conflict in the past, but Gabriel was fiercely protective of those he loved. He was beginning to realize that Sam fell into that category now.

 

Humming, Gabriel set down his fork.  “Trashy?” He repeated. “Trashy like how you have you dress on inside out and Benny’s fly is still undone?  You really couldn’t wait until later—had to have a quickie in the parking lot before doing the dutiful ‘friends of the groom’ schtick?”  He looked at Sam who had been stunned into silence. “Come on, kiddo,” he tugged lightly in Sam’s tie, forcing him to stand. “I could use a mimosa.”

 

They left the table quickly, not waiting for a response from either Benny or Jo. Both of them looked flabbergasted as it was; with Benny trying to discreetly zip his pants, and Jo fiddling with the sides of her sundress, where the interior seams were glaringly obvious.  When they were a safe distance away, at the small, self-serve bar cart, Gabe poured them both drinks before sighing. He held up a hand, heading Sam off. “I know, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything and I,” Gabriel stopped as a finger pressed against his lips.

 

“I didn’t say I was mad,” Sam told him softly.  “No one has ever stood up for me before. Not for any reason.”  He shuffled his feet a fraction. “It’s probably why I became a lawyer, honestly.  I learned to fight my own battles, and I have a soft spot for the underdog.”

 

“Then what the hell are you doing working for Luci’s firm?” Gabe asked. “Defense, sure—but Luci takes on some pretty bad people.”

 

“It’s a job,” Sam said. “I need the experience and the firm is well-known—it looks good on a resume. I’m not planning on working for your brother forever.”

 

“Good to know,” Gabriel tried to sound casual as he took a sip of his mimosa. “I’d probably get crazy jealous of all the late nights preparing briefs and end up shooting my own brother over you.”

 

“Yeah, I don’t really see you losing it like that with a crime of passion,” Sam laughed. “You’re much more calculating than people think.  You’d have it all planned out.”

 

Gabe smirked. “You got me,” he continued the joke. “I guess that means that I can’t plead insanity either.”

 

“Not a chance.”

 

They smiled at one another, almost shyly for a while, silently drinking their cocktails, basking in the closeness of one another.  They finally decided to move back to one of the other tables, and see how they fared with Hael, or perhaps Charlie, when Dean popped up in front of them.  “What did you two do to Jo?” He demanded. “She’s all pissy and says she wants to go home.”

 

“I didn’t do anything,” Sam said truthfully. He _hadn’t_ —Gabe had.

 

“Why don’t I believe that for a second?” Dean eyed him, putting Gabriel’s teeth on edge. “You’ve been a real piece of work this week, Sammy.  I don’t know if you just don’t care about my happiness, or if it’s something else,” Dean said. “But you’ve gotta reign it in. You don’t want mom and dad to get even more upset with you, do you?”

 

Next to him, Sam deflated.  “No.” The lack of a fight made Gabriel immeasurably sad.  He considered taking Dean down a peg, but Sam’s fingers brushed his elbow.  Between that and the look that Cassie shot him from across the room had Gabe backing down.  Sam might not have been upset that he went after Dean’s friends, but the man himself? Most likely, Sam wouldn’t appreciate _that_ altercation.  Gabe sighed. He could behave. He could.

 

“Yeah,” Dean said, seemingly satisfied. “Just...knock it off, whatever it is.”  He turned and went back to Cas’ side, leaving Gabriel to stare up at Sam.

 

As though he could hear the screaming thoughts in Gabe’s mind, Sam just shook his head. “It’s not worth it.  Not really.”

 

“Being treated with the barest respect _is_ worth it, kiddo.”

 

“Not in my family,” Sam’s laugh was rueful.  “Seriously. It’s fine, Gabe.”

 

“So, you’ve been called trashy, and it’s been implied that you’re both bad in bed and selfish,” Gabe recapped, trying to joke about how fucked up he found the Winchester dynamic. “What else could possibly go wrong?”

 

“Don’t say that,” Sam said, half serious. “You put that kind of shit out into the universe and it will bite you in the ass, every time.”

 

They both chuckled, but Sam was right, Gabe should _not_ have said that.

 

“You slept with my brother?” Castiel suddenly shouted, turning to stare at Sam, his head cocked to the side and his nose wrinkled.  Anna was standing next to him, her face shocked at Castiel’s outburst. Everyone turned to glance between Sam and his soon-to-be brother-in-law.

 

Sam’s whole body crumpled, his eyes wide with horror as he shook his head. Gabe’s heart went out to the kid, and he knew that he was going to have to diffuse the situation.

 

For a moment, Gabe toyed with the response of, “which one?” But he knew that would just be inviting trouble.  He was truly hoping that Cas was just referring to him, but Gabriel knew it was a hopeless wish. After the previous evening at the melded bachelor parties, Gabe knew that it was clear that he and Sam were...something. Cas wouldn’t sound so shocked and scandalized to have confirmation of _that_ tryst. Which meant someone had tattled about Luci.  At the worst possible time.

 

He was about to speak up when he was beat to the punch. John Winchester stared at his youngest son and said, “Really, Sam?  You just met the man and you’re jumping into bed with him?” He tossed a glare at Gabe, who snorted and did his best to look affronted when all he wanted to do was laugh at the father of his lover.

 

When he and Sam had been cuddled up watching that horrific paranormal television show, they’d talked a bit more about themselves. With the way that Sam was treated by his family, it came as no surprise to Gabriel that Sam had received some backlash from his parents regarding his sexuality.  Sam had come out early on in high school. He’d told Gabe that his mother had been basically indifferent to it, while his dad made a few hurtful comments. However, when Dean brought Cole, his first boyfriend, home, Mary and John were suddenly all on board the ‘Rainbow Train.’ Gabe found it ridiculous and actually _cruel_ to passively reject one child, while accepting the other for the same thing.

 

Sam had also delved into Dean’s promiscuous past, and how John lauded him for ‘getting some.’  It was laughable at how the hypocritical man was vocally condemning his son for being ‘slutty,’ when Dean had always received a pat on the back and a beer. Gabe was quite pissed off the more he thought about it.

 

“Oh, honey,” Mary joined her husband. “No wonder you can’t seem to get anyone down the aisle.  No one will marry someone who sleeps around.”

 

“That is incredibly untrue,” Gabe finally found his voice, shocked at what the Winchester’s were saying.

 

“No,” Castiel spoke up, his shitty timing rearing its head once again. “I knew that he was sleeping with Gabriel.  I was referring to my _other_ brother, Lucifer.”

 

“What?” The other three Winchesters shouted in unison.

 

Everyone in the room froze and looked between Sam and Luci, who was lounging in one of the wooden chairs, his legs casually crossed, as he picked at the remains of his brunch.  Next to him, Michael put his hand over his eyes, shaking with embarrassment. Hael was staring straight ahead, her arm around her son who was doing something on his tablet, oblivious.

 

“You slept with him too?” Dean stared at his brother. “Dude!”

 

“I’m so sorry.  I thought you knew,” Anna murmured as she slid away from Cas’ side.  Her guilty eyes met Sam’s. “I’m sorry.”

 

John’s narrowed eyes were boring a hole into Sam as he said, “I thought you worked for him.”

 

“I do,” Sam’s voice was barely audible.

 

“You slept with your boss!” Mary shrieked. “Samuel!  That is incredibly inappropriate.”

 

Sam actually hung his head and Gabe fought the urge to rush to his side and wrap him into a hug. He absolutely wasn’t expecting what John said next.  “Well, now we know how you even managed to _get_ that job,” John’s voice was hard. “You said the competition was steep—I guess you found a way to stand out, didn’t you?”

 

He felt his mouth drop open as he processed the words. What the actual fuck?  Lucifer shifted in his chair, and Gabriel could see his brother’s internal debate. Luci could have righteous indignation over the theory that his firm traded sexual favors for perks, or he could let things play out. Gabriel wasn’t at all surprised when Lucifer chose option two and remained silent.  His brother was a dick like that, and a fucking drama queen to boot.

 

Gabriel waited. Watching the assembled party to see if _anyone_ would say, or do, _something_ to come to Sam’s defense. No one moved, or spoke.  He wasn’t sure if they were uncaring or simply cowards—and frankly, Gabe was fucking over it. Fury roiled in Gabriel’s entire body as he saw that everyone was quiet, unwilling—or uncaring—to challenge the Winchester patriarch.

 

Gabriel Novak had had enough.

 

“What the _fuck_ is wrong with you?”  He heard the words in his own voice, tumbling out unconsciously.

 

“Gabe,” Sam’s quiet tone conveyed his shock.

 

“No, kiddo,” Gabe moved, stepping in between Sam and everyone else; putting a physical barrier between this poor excuse for family, and the man he loved.  “I’m done playing nice.”

 

“Excuse you,” John sneered down at Gabe.  “This is a _family_ conversation.”

 

“You’re right,” Gabriel snapped.  “And since my baby bro is marrying your spoiled excuse of a son tomorrow—that’s going to make _us_ all family, isn’t it?  It’s probably best to air all of our grievances, before we have to ‘speak now’ and all that bullshit.”  

 

He pivoted slightly on his toes and stared at Dean.  “Funny concept, isn’t it? Family.” Gabriel felt as though he would vibrate out of his own skin. “I’m not the poster child for being a good brother, by any means,” his eyes flashed as Dean looked away and stared at the ground. “But I sure try to do a damn better job than you, Dean-o.  I know you’re not an idiot—Cassie would never marry someone that was fucking stupid—which means you’re just an asshole.”

 

“What?” Dean looked up at him, glaring.

 

Gabriel actually chuckled at the heat in Dean’s features.  He narrowed his eyes and dove right in. “It’s _cute_ how you get all offended when I’m insulting _you_ , but you seem to think it’s perfectly acceptable to watch your parents rip into Sam.  You’re a fucking asshole. You’re being a shitty older brother by not protecting him, and you know it.  I may disagree with my family sometimes, but I would _never_ allow someone who supposedly _loved_ them, speak to my siblings the way you let mommy and daddy talk to Sam.”  Gabriel snorted with disdain and shook his head. “You’re a piece of work, Winchester—and I’m not entirely sure what Cassie even sees in you.”

 

Before anyone could jump in, Gabriel met Castiel’s almost impassive gaze. “I had no idea that your morals had changed so greatly Castiel,” he addressed his little brother. “The kid that I hung out with, whose knees I put bandaids on,” Gabriel felt the pure disappointment keenly.  “The brother who I taught how to ride a bike and catch fireflies— _he_ stood up for his friends.  Apparently that’s beneath you now. You may not have done anything outright to Sam, but I’m sure you remember the concept of ‘good men standing by and doing nothing?’”  Gabriel’s lips contorted into a sneer. “You’re doing nothing, brother. And by that action—you’re not really a _good_ man, are you?  I’m honestly ashamed of you, Cassie.”

 

In the ensuing silence, he whirled on the trio of Charlie, Benny and Jo.  “And you three claim Sam as a ‘friend,’ as well, but you won’t stand up for him!  You just go along with Dean—catering to _Dean_ , as though Sam is lesser.”  Gabriel was building up steam. “You mock and insult him. And last night, you made it perfectly clear that you’ve stood by and watched that lunatic girl, Becky, practically _molest_ him. Why?  Does it amuse you to see Sam uncomfortable?  Because that’s what I’m beginning to think. If you truly were Sam’s friend, you’d help him out of that kind of mess. You’d stand up for him once in a while; maybe take his fucking side _against_ your precious Dean.  But no.”

 

Moving on, Gabriel glared at his other siblings. “I can’t really fault you Mikey, because you just met Sam and he isn’t your family yet, but you’ve been rude to him as well.  So you suck too.” After a moment he simply looked at Anna, shaking his head. “You need to learn when to keep your cakehole shut, sis.”

 

He turned then to glare daggers at Lucifer. “And I’m not even about to get into how much I want to to _gouge_ your fucking _eyes_ out for even breathing the same air as Sam.”  Lucifer opened his mouth, but Gabe held up a hand and cut him off. “I may be irrational and a little territorial, but you haven’t seemed to take ‘no’ for a fucking answer.”  He shook his head. “You’re my brother, Luci, I know you. I’m not stupid—I know that you’ve propositioned Sam at _some_ point this weekend. You say _I’m_ bad at sharing?  While you’d rather _break_ him, then see him with me, and I _know_ that.  I’m not sure if you’re just so miserable that you enjoy being a complete douche, or if you really just hate _me_ that much. Honestly, at this point, I don’t really care anymore.”  Pointing forcefully at his sibling, Gabe hissed, “Back off! And stop causing fucking trouble.”

 

“That’s enough,” John Winchester finally seemed to snap out of it enough to interrupt.  “You’ve said your piece,” he started.

 

The look that Gabriel leveled on the older man was terrifying. Enough that John stumbled back a step and Mary held a hand to her lips with a gasp. “Oh no,” Gabe smirked. “I haven’t even _touched_ on you two yet.”

 

He could feel Sam moving behind him, and Gabe reached back, thankful when a large palm gripped his own tightly. Sam squeezed his hand, giving silent encouragement, and Gabriel gripped it like a rope thrown to a drowning swimmer.  He tugged Sam forward so that his lover was level with him, standing at his side, where he belonged.

 

“You act like you’re decent people,” Gabe sneered. “So quick to offer hugs and hospitality to virtual strangers like myself and my siblings, while doing _everything_ in your power to show Sam how unwanted he is.  It’s sickening, abhorrent, pick a fucking adjective because as far as I’m concerned, the way you treat your younger son shows your true nature. And you’re both trash.”  Gabriel sucked in a breath, glancing quickly to Castiel before he spoke again. “Our parents basically disowned Cassie because he likes other men. It’s backwards, and shitty, and in my fucking opinion—wrong. It makes them trash as well. But do you know what they _never_ did?  They never treated him as though he was less than human.  And I’m sure if you ask my bro—who you all seem to adore—he’ll agree that being virtually ‘cut off’ isn’t as painful as the constant reminder that your parents despise you.  Am I right, Castiel?”

 

The faintest affirmative, “Yes,” fell from Cas’ lips as Mary, John and Dean all looked at him in shock.

 

“Yeah,” Gabriel nodded and grimaced at them. “When your perfect son-in-law says it, you listen, huh?  I honestly don’t know why I’m bothering to get so worked up, when it’s clear to me, that the opinions of people like _you_ are far beneath both me _and_ Sam.  I’m sure that in your twisted little minds, you think that you’re doing the right thing—that I’m a raving psycho.  That you couldn’t _possibly_ be the worst parents since the woman who wanted Solomon to chop that kid in half.  You might not be that bad, but you’re pretty damn close. You torture your youngest son, and elevate the other on a pedestal.”  

 

He shook a finger at both of them as well. “I’m not saying that life should be fair, and full of unicorns and cupcakes, but as parents, you’re supposed to at least _try_ .  I feel for Sam, for the way that he’s been treated—but I _pity_ you.  You only look for adoration from Dean, not affection. You probably don’t even know what raw, genuine love feels like. Because I’m quite certain that you have little—to no—feelings, in the shriveled excuse for a heart that’s beating inside of your worthless bodies.”

 

He worked his jaw for a moment as the words sunk in to the group.  “Sam has spent his whole life trying to make you both proud. He’s worked himself almost into the ground to be a successful, intelligent, caring man. And none of you see it. All you see is someone to take the blame—someone that isn’t _Dean_ .”  Gabriel looked toward his brother and the man at his side. His eyes locked with Dean’s. “I’m sure you’re a great guy, somewhere in there,” Gabe sighed, almost with exhaustion.  “But you and your friends—your _parents_ —have a lot to learn on what it means to be a decent fucking human being.”  The smile he turned and shot to John was more of a grimace. “Think about it.  I’m sure once the shock wears off, you’ll realize that I’m right, and that you’re all fucking horrible.”

 

With one last glare around the room, making sure that eye contact was prolonged with them all, Gabriel finally pulled Sam to him, cupping his jaw tenderly.  The kiss he initiated wasn’t meant to be sexy, or showy—it was a claim. It was a desperate promise to defend and adore. It was a public declaration for Gabriel, an act that conveyed his intentions; and the fact that Sam Winchester was now under his protection.  When the kiss ended, the silence in the barn was thick. Gabriel had absolutely no fucks to give about what any of them thought. Without a word, he tugged on Sam’s hand, and guided his lover outside, away from the toxic pull of their family.

 

* * *

 

Operating in a slight state of shock seemed to be the norm now for Sam. Gabriel consistently surprised him—always in a good way—and Sam was quickly becoming addicted to the other man’s presence in his life.  No one had ever stood up for him like that before, and Sam was floored.

 

The way that Gabriel had assessed the situation and taken charge was a little scary, and ridiculously hot.  He was slightly embarrassed to realize that he was sporting a bit of an erection as Gabriel dragged him away from their families.  The shorter man was six shades of sexy when furious and Sam mused that he was sort of excited for their first fight as a couple. That train of thinking ground his brain to a halt immediately as Sam fully acknowledged that he wanted whatever was going on with him and Gabriel to continue.

 

As they walked in silence, Gabriel pulling him along, and Sam allowing it, he realized that he had no idea where they were headed. Gabriel was focused, headed down different stone paths that now had foliage alongside.  The smaller bushes that were near the barn had given way to huge plants bursting with flowers. The scents were overpowering, and Sam sucked in a breath as they kept up a forceful pace. Neither of them had spoken since they left the barn, leaving behind their brunch; and by the stormy look in Gabe’s eyes, Sam knew that _he_ would have to be the one to break the silence.  They rounded a bend among the trees and flowers, and stopped.

 

A large clearing spread out before them, meticulously decorated for their brothers’ upcoming nuptials.  Next to him, Gabriel huffed at the sight, but still didn’t speak. Sam slid an arm around his lover’s waist and pulled the smaller man close.

 

“I can’t believe that you did that,” Sam said finally, his voice incredulous and oddly high.  He was gazing down at Gabriel, with a little bit of shock and a touch of awe. It was a heady feeling to know that Gabriel cared enough to take on Sam’s family for him.

 

“What can I say?  I’m a full service boyfriend,” Gabe smirked up at him, though his eyes were still venomous.

 

“Boyfriend, huh?”  Sam couldn’t contain the smile. His whole body felt lighter and his fingers were tingling. “I like the sound of that.”

 

“Good,” Gabriel’s tone was clipped, yet he sounded pleased.  “Boyfriends then?”

 

Sam nodded in response.  “You know,” he began. “They blame me for my mom not realizing she had cancer before it spread. She thought that the lump was something to do with breastfeeding. She had to get a full mastectomy.  Chemo too. It nearly broke my dad when things got bad. So I kind of get why they treat me the way that they do.”

 

Gabe was watching him. “That doesn’t make it right.”

 

“Dean didn’t almost kill mom.”

 

“Is _that_ what they fucking tell you?” Gabe raked his hand over his face. “That is beyond fucked up, kiddo. You didn’t almost _kill_ your mother. Cells, biology, what the fuck ever— _cancer_ is what did this. Not you.  Fuck, I want to back there and start throwing punches,” Gabriel was seething, his breath huffing with his agitation and fury.

 

“I _do_ know that it’s not really my fault,” Sam tried. “But they make me wonder sometimes.  I’ll get it one day—but you’re going to have to remind me all the time, okay?”

 

“That I can do.”

 

Sam ached to lean down and kiss Gabriel.  He wanted to pour all of his affection and adoration into the other man.  Gabe was still shifting restlessly in his grip, his expression furious and sour. “What can I do?” Sam asked, his fingers rubbing Gabe’s hip.  

 

Gabriel looked up at him in pure confusion. “You’re about to jump out of your skin,” Sam explained. “You just told off basically our entire family—quite brutally, I might add,” he attempted a smile. “What can I do to make you feel better?”  He rubbed his cheek against Gabe’s head, nuzzling the smaller man and pulling him into an embrace.

 

It took a few moments for Gabriel to get on board with the affectionate touches, and sweet kisses, but he managed to come around. Once he was in, he was fully invested, and soon enough Sam was gasping for air from the passionate onslaught.  Gabe wasn’t holding back at all. He kissed almost ruthlessly, nipping teeth into Sam’s lips and jaw. His fingers were curled into Sam’s side, digging deeply into the flesh.

 

When Gabriel released the claim on Sam’s lips, he felt dazed.  He blinked down at his lover who was giving him the most mischievous look through his thick lashes. “Do you trust me, kiddo?” Gabe echoed his question from the previous day.

 

Sam nodded, and Gabe’s eyes lit up.  He gripped Sam firmly and moved them both down the center aisle that had been set up for the wedding, toward the front where the grooms would be standing on the day.  An intricately curving metal archway was placed dead center, staked into the ground for security. Both flowers and vines were intertwined through the looping designs, giving the illusion that the arch was almost alive. Underneath was a low, wooden table.  

 

Sam remembered Castiel mentioning that the table would contain a crystal container in which each groom would pour ‘earth from the hearth,’ which translates to ‘dirt from the yard of their childhood home,’ to symbolize their union.  He pushed the thought of their brothers from his mind, focusing only on Gabriel as his smaller lover positioned him under the archway.

 

When Gabe’s hands hooked onto his belt, Sam gasped and jolted. Snickering at him, Gabriel undid Sam’s belt, making quick work of the zipper as well, his hand entering and wrapping around Sam’s half-hard cock.  He looked furtively around them, not seeing anyone, as Gabriel expertly rubbed him to full arousal. “What are you doing?”

 

“Making a point,” Gabriel pulled him down roughly, crashing their lips together. Sam grunted into the kiss when he felt Gabriel’s own thickness pressing against him.  “No matter what anyone says,” Gabe was firm. “There is _nothing_ that you can do to ruin Dean and Cas’ wedding. Nothing.  And I’m going to prove it to you.”

 

Sam visibly gulped.  He didn’t need to say it, Gabe knew the question in his eyes. His _boyfriend_ —Sam loved the thought—gently squeezed his length, making Sam groan. “I’m going to get on my knees, and suck you down. I’m going to toy with you and let you fuck my throat,” Gabe said. “Because tomorrow, when Cassie and Dean are up here pledging their eternal love, I want you to remember how I made you come right where they’re standing.”

 

“Uh,” Sam grunted. He couldn’t seem to form words. What were words?

 

Gabriel’s smirk was deadly.  “Now, don’t you think that if our families knew what we’d done, they’d think we _ruined_ things?”  Sam could only nod. He didn’t even want to think of what his mother would say if she knew what Gabe wanted. “But it doesn’t ruin anything, kiddo.  There is _nothing_ on this earth that you could do that would make our brothers’ day go sideways.  People bitch about the fucking weather for occasions like this, and it’s all pointless and a load of bullshit.  If declaring your love for someone hinges on that petty crap, then maybe it isn’t really love, you know?”

 

He did. Sam totally understood what Gabriel was telling him. But Sam had _years_ of conditioning, a lifetime of memories, telling him that he needed to do everything perfectly—for Dean. Gabriel was playing with the spongy head of Sam’s dick, looking up at him, something pure radiating out of him and into Sam.  

 

“He isn’t more important than you,” Gabe whispered.  “No one is more important than you—not to me. It’s been—what—three days?  I’m gone on you; I’m all in. You’re everything.” Gabriel was stroking him as he spoke, those perfect words flowing over Sam and making him feel as though— _finally_ —he was truly loved. “What do you say, kiddo?  Want to let me blow you on our brother’s ‘altar?’”

 

“No.”

 

Gabe arched a single eyebrow and Sam felt himself shrink under the power of his lover’s gaze. “No?”

 

“No,” Sam repeated. “I don’t want a blow job.”  At that confession, Gabriel’s smirk deepened. “I want you to fuck me—hard. Bend me over their stupid fucking ‘Hearth and Family’ table and take me.”

 

A whoosh of air puffed from Gabe’s lips. “Fuck, kiddo,” he said, his tone impressed.  “There is nothing more I’d love, but I don’t have any supplies right now.”

 

“I don’t care,” Sam said in a rush.  When Gabriel didn’t speak, simply staring up at him, Sam continued. “I haven’t been with anyone but you since...yeah,” he flinched at the thought of Gabriel’s older brother.  “I got tested right after that. I’m clean.”

 

Gabriel was rolling his tongue around in his mouth, considering. “I’m clean too,” he finally said.

 

Sam wanted this—he _needed_ it. He couldn’t have Gabriel backing out now. His fingers gripped Gabe’s bicep hard, nails digging into flesh. “I’m still loose from last night,” he knew he was begging.  He knew that he probably sounded every bit the ‘slut’ that his parents thought he was. “Please,” he put all of his desire into the single word, and Gabriel broke.

 

“Fuck.”  Gabe’s hands were on him, turning Sam around and away.  A strong palm was firmly pushing against his spine, bending him over the stupid carved table, while Gabe’s other hand yanked Sam’s dress pants down.  They pooled at his ankles, and his boxer briefs soon followed. He could hear Gabriel sucking on his index finger, coating it as best as he could with saliva. “It’s gonna hurt,” Gabe sounded apologetic as his finger toyed with Sam’s hole.

 

Bucking his hips, Sam pushed at the wet finger, trying to force Gabe to breach his ass. “I don’t care,” Sam insisted. “I want you. Right now, Gabe—just like this!”

 

There was only a moment’s hesitation before he felt Gabe’s finger plunge into him.  Bracing his hands on the table, Sam looked over his shoulder and drank in the sight of his lover. Gabriel’s eyes were fixed on Sam, watching his fingers press deep into Sam’s tight heat. Teeth biting down on those plump lips was a sight that almost sent Sam over the edge. His boyfriend looked entranced, watching himself finger fuck Sam, listening to the eager cries for more.

 

“Damn, you weren’t kidding about still being ready,” Gabe’s voice was reverent, and Sam felt another finger press into him.

 

“I don’t want _that_ ,” Sam whined, pressing down onto Gabe’s fingers.  “I want _you_.  I need you to fuck me, Gabriel—show me how much you love me.”

 

Those were the words that pushed his lover over the edge. In an instant, the fingers were gone, and Sam was rutting backward onto the air.  He heard the zipper of Gabriel’s jeans, and the sharp intake of air when his boyfriend exposed his own dick. Sam’s cheeks were parted, and he felt the heaviness of Gabriel’s thick cock push through and settle against him, teasing. “Are you sure about this kiddo?”

 

Sam rocked backward, rubbing his hole onto his lover’s dick, causing Gabe to suck in a breath. “Fill me up Gabe,” Sam pleaded. “Make me come.”

 

Three things happened simultaneously.  Sam’s back bowed, fingers tangled into his hair, pulling roughly; and Gabe’s cock pushed inside of him, splitting Sam in two. His moan was raw and broken as Gabriel finally thrust in.  The motion guided him, and Sam rolled his hips, pulling Gabe in deeper. His lover hissed, and yanked harder on his hair. “I don’t want to hurt you. Never want to hurt you.”

 

“You won’t,” Sam insisted. “Do it Gabe, please baby, take me!”

 

He actually heard Gabriel growl—a fierce, primal sound—as he pressed into Sam’s ass.  Fuck, it was glorious! Every inch seemed to burn with friction. Sam’s passage spasmed around the intrusion as Gabriel bottomed out, his pelvis lightly bumping Sam’s cheeks.  “I love you,” Gabe panted.

 

All he could do was nod frantically, as he sucked in air.  He had never felt this full—this _claimed_ before. Probably because Sam had never fucked bare; not once in his life. He trusted Gabriel more than anyone in all of creation. Gabriel loved him. He would care for him, and romance him, and make sure that he was always happy. Sam knew it like he instinctively knew how to breathe.

 

“Kiddo, you feel so fucking good,” Gabe was praising him, even as he tugged on Sam’s locks. “Tell me what you want Sammy.  I’ll do anything you want!”

 

A few deep breaths and Sam knew that he was as ready as he would ever be. “Fuck me hard, Gabriel. Ride me raw, make me scream. I want to come on your dick and jizz all over this _fucking_ table so that tomorrow— _we_ know what happened here first.”  Sam squeezed his muscles, biting his lip and wiggling, drawing a pained gasp from his boyfriend. “I want you to fuck me until all I can say is your name and you come deep inside me.  Fill me up and claim me just for you. Please Gabe, please!”

 

He’d barely finished before Gabriel pulled out and slammed back into him harshly. Sam’s hands scrabbled for purchase on the wedding altar as Gabe rocked into him. The hand in his hair was tight, bordering on painful, and Sam loved it. Gabriel’s other palm was pushing down onto Sam’s lower back, forcing him to accommodate Gabriel’s massive cock just the way that he wanted.

 

With each powerful thrust, Sam could feel the air punch out of his chest. He was trying to rock back, keep a rhythm with his love, but he was being held steady. Gabriel’s firm grip on him was forcing Sam to stay still, immobile, as Gabriel used him mercilessly.  It was fucking beautiful.

 

He was close—so very close.  Pressure was building within him, each powerful thrust of Gabriel’s cock making him cry out.  He could feel a few tears leaking from the corner of his left eye. He hoped that Gabe didn’t see, because he didn’t want his boyfriend to stop plowing him. _This_ was exactly what he needed.

 

The pace was frantic, grasping.  Sam was using all of his considerable strength to stay up.  He could feel his knees beginning to buckle as he was finally allowed to grind himself back onto the fat cock that was fucking into him.  “Come on, Gabriel,” Sam urged, as Gabe grunted with effort behind him.

 

He could feel his dress shirt sticking to his back from the sweat, and he knew that once they were done, neither of them would be fit for public consumption.  Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was aware that they were in a public place, fully exposed. Anyone—including his family—could show up at any time and witness him getting a deep dicking from his boyfriend. The thought made Sam moan a little louder. It would serve them all right to see their precious fucking wedding altar desecrated by some filthy fucking. He almost wished for it to happen. He bit back a sharp groan as Gabe’s hips snapped forward, impaling Sam in his pulsing dick. Sam was getting the most brutal fucking of his life, and he had never been happier.  “Come inside me Gabe,” Sam started to babble.

 

“Yeah,” Gabe’s voice was rough.  “Wanna fill you up so much that it leaks out, Sammy.  Wanna watch my come drip out of your naughty, stretched hole.  Fuck!”

 

The thought of that made Sam’s own dick jump. He was achingly hard and he hadn’t touched himself at all.  Groaning, Sam pushed back into a particularly ruthless thrust and he fought back a yelp. His ass was so sore, and he knew that he would be paying for this later—he couldn’t find it in himself to care. “Please, Gabriel, fill me up,” Sam cried. “Mark me.  Come in my ass! I want to feel you!”

 

Gabe’s pumping hips were beginning to stutter, losing their rhythm, and Sam knew his lover was almost there.  He moved his body, pulling Gabe into him, counteracting the sharp pumps of his boyfriend, with sensual lazy motions of his own. It was pure fucking torture. “I love you,” Sam cried.

 

It was all over. At Sam’s words, Gabe froze, both of his hands now digging into Sam’s hips, holding him still as Gabriel finished. He felt a warm rush deep inside of him and the thought that his boyfriend was jizzing in him, brought on Sam’s own orgasm. He clenched around Gabe’s cock, forcing more cum into his ass; all while he was covering the decorative cloth with his own seed.

 

He could feel Gabe over him, hear his short, panting breaths; feel the hard length of his lover still deep inside of him.  Sam felt lightheaded and unsteady, but Gabe was holding him and Sam never wanted to move. When his boyfriend finally moved, sliding out of Sam’s well-fucked hole, he made a soft sound of discontent.  After a few moments, where Gabe was still holding him bent, Sam shuffled and looked back.

 

Gabriel’s focus was solely on Sam; gnawing his lip as he stared at Sam’s ass. “Sammy,” he whispered.  “Fuck, kiddo! You look so goddamn gorgeous like this, with my come leaking out of you.”

 

A single finger brushed Sam’s throbbing hole and he sucked in a breath. It fucking stung, but it also felt amazingly perfect. He wasn’t even surprised when his cock jolted, beginning to plump once more.  “Gabe,” he moaned shamelessly.

 

The sound of voices somewhere down the path, startled them both into moving. Gabriel pulled Sam up, spinning him around.  He could feel the blood rushing to his brain, and he blinked, unmoving, as Gabe bent down and pulled up his now-wrinkled trousers. He hissed when his briefs were pulled into place and were immediately damp with the come still running out of him. The thick wetness was unpleasant, and yet Sam enjoyed the fact that no one could tell that he had Gabriel’s come in his underwear. It was enough of a turn on that he grunted a bit and had to shift the placement of his dick.

 

Gabriel got Sam covered before attending to himself, and Sam found it to be oddly sweet that Gabe was taking such good care of him.  When they were both modest, yet rumpled, Gabe popped up and kissed Sam’s cheek swiftly, before taking his hand. “We should get out of here,” he said.

 

Sam nodded and they took off, down a different path then they had arrived, in an attempt to avoid whoever was drawing near.  They ended up making a rather large loop around the property, through immaculate gardens. Thankfully, they managed to avoid other people, and Gabe ordered them a ride, which was idling by the time they stumbled into the parking lot.

 

He grimaced when he slid into the backseat and felt the mess in his pants more acutely. Gabriel laughed at the face he made, once the shorter man figured out Sam’s annoyance.  His boyfriend toyed with Sam’s fingers and leaned in, straining against the seatbelt. Gabriel’s whisper brushed past his ear and Sam shivered. “I’m going to take you to our room, get you in the shower again,” Gabe told him. “I’m thinking a blowjob for you, maybe some room service after; and all the cuddles you can handle.  How’s that sound?”

 

“It sounds perfect.”

 

“Only the best for you, Samshine,” Gabe actually snuggled into his side, and Sam threw a long arm over his boyfriend’s shoulders.  “I’m going to keep you all to myself today. Make sure you’re happy.”

 

A beat of silence, and then Sam leaned down and pressed a firm kiss into Gabriel’s hair.  “I really love you, Gabe.”

 

“I love you too, kiddo.”


	11. Exes and Oh--Shit!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which some fence-mending is attempted, Cas has a request, Gabriel finally eats some candy, and Sam's luck doesn't get any better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I beg forgiveness that this chapter has taken three freaking months. My health has been kicking me when I'm already down recently which is all kinds of not fun. And also, (like Gabriel probably is), I am distracted by sparkles, and I kept getting sucked into other fic ideas or WIPs when I should have been working on this. Apologies. Which is sort of the theme of this chapter, so that works. I'm hoping that the next chapter doesn't take this long, but no promises kiddos--and for that I'm sorry.

When Gabriel awoke the next morning, he immediately burrowed back into the rumpled covers of the bed, grumbling.  The only reason he eventually got up was because Sam bribed him to share the shower before they headed out. Even as he leaned back into Sam’s chest under the water, while the taller man washed his hair, Gabriel was trying not to show how angry he still was over the previous day.  

 

“I hope that Cassie and Dean realize how lucky they are that you’re a good brother for dragging me to this shindig,” Gabe said, his eyes closed.  He was relishing in the comforting touches of Sam and doing his best to not raise his blood pressure. “I’m tempted to just skip. Stay in bed all day with you.  It’d serve them right.”

 

“You’re not serious,” Sam said.  His tone betrayed that he wasn’t sure if Gabe was kidding or not.

 

“Deadly,” Gabriel answered.  “I’m sure you’ve noticed that familial loyalty isn’t huge with my siblings.  I’m mad enough that I would absolutely skip out and let Mike or Luci stand up with Cas.”

 

There was a long silence before Sam softly said, “Wow.”

 

Gabriel turned in Sam’s arms, facing his lover.  He pushed himself up onto his toes, minding the slippery floor of the shower and pressed a firm kiss to Sam’s lips.  “I’m going to go,” Gabe said. “I’m pissed, but I’m not running. I’m going to be the grown-up for once and do the right thing.  And I’m  _ not  _ going because of you, kiddo, so wipe that guilty look off of your face.”

 

“Okay,” Sam smiled at him.  “We should probably get moving then.  It’s almost eleven.”

 

Quirking an eyebrow, and placing his palm flat against Sam’s chest, he pushed lightly, guiding his boyfriend back toward the stone bench.  “I said I’d go to the stupid wedding,” Gabriel smirked. “I didn’t say that I’d be on time.”

 

Sam gave a few half-hearted protests; but he shut up once Gabriel’s lips wrapped around his cock and sucked him down.  Afterwards, Sam insisted that they hurry. Gabe grumbled, but complied. They both got ready together, side-stepping in the small bathroom and Gabriel didn’t want to think about adorably domestic it all seemed.  He was still worried that he was going to wake up from a dream--or, more likely, that once the weekend was done, Sam would be too.

 

He did his best to tamp down his mounting anxiety; assuming that he was doing a decent job of it, since Sam didn’t comment.  He even managed to laugh when their car arrived with Sarah behind the wheel once more. Out of all the exes that Gabe had met in the past few days, she was the only one who didn’t entirely rub him the wrong way.  The two of them teased Sam about having to sit up front the entire way to the venue.

 

Once Sarah had dropped them off, Gabriel took the time to lace his fingers with Sam’s and pull him down for a chaste kiss.  He knew that Sam wouldn’t want to call any attention to them until they were back at their room, in deference to ‘Dean’s Special Day,’ and Gabe was going to grab his sugar while he could.  Much to his surprise, Sam deepened the kiss and it wasn’t long before they were verging on a full-blown make-out in the parking lot.

 

Just as Gabriel was getting into it, a throat cleared behind them and Sam pulled away.  Gabe fought the urge to swear, but he turned and saw that Charlie was standing there, looking sheepish.  She was wearing a strapless sky blue dress that cinched in at the waist and filled out into a rather nineteen fifties housewife design.  The color matched Sam’s silk tie perfectly. He vaguely remembered Cas telling him that Dean’s attendants would be wearing blue, to represent Castiel’s eyes, while Gabe and his siblings would be wearing green to match Dean’s.  He’d rolled his eyes when Cassie mentioned it, but the more he thought about it, it  _ was  _ rather romantic.  Gabriel had to physically shake his head to stop  _ that  _ creepy little train of thought before it left the station.  He didn’t  _ do  _ romantic bullshit.  Sam glanced at him worriedly when he shuddered before turning back to Charlie.

 

“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she said.

 

“It’s fine,” Sam said rather coldly.  “I know we’re late.”

 

“Oh,” Charlie’s face fell and her shoulders dropped.  The small bouquet of honeysuckle in her hand fell to her side.  “That’s fine, no one is ready yet anyway. Um,” she bit her lip and looked directly at Sam.  “I know that it’s probably too little, too late,” Charlie said, resigned. “But I wanted to tell you how sorry I am.  I didn’t think about how horrible it was to leave you to Becky, and I want you to know that you  _ are  _ my friend too and I should’ve never stood by and let Dean treat you that way.”

 

As soon as she started speaking, Sam’s face relaxed and Gabe knew that his lover would forgive the redhead.  Sam was a softer touch than him. It usually took more than one apology to get back into his good graces; something that his siblings constantly berated him for, with the exception of Luci, who was also a stubborn son of a bitch.  Still, Gabe could tell that Charlie’s words were sincere, and he couldn’t entirely fault Sam.

 

“I’m so sorry,” Charlie was saying.  

 

Before the tears gathering at the corners of her eyes could fall, Sam had let go of Gabriel and pulled her into his arms.  “It’s okay, Charlie,” Sam said.

 

“No it’s not,” she sniffed.

 

“Okay,” Sam agreed.  “But it means a lot that you apologized.  We can work on this.”

 

“I’m going to do better,” she pulled away to look up at him.  “Sam, I am so sorry,” she repeated.

 

Affecting a stern face, Sam frowned slightly.  “Stop,” he said softly. “You’re going to ruin your makeup.  We’re good. Right now, we’re good. It’ll be okay.”

 

She nodded and stepped out of his hold, carefully wiping at her eyes.  “I’m sorry,” she said once more.

 

“Thanks, Charlie.”

 

At that, she sucked in a large breath and pulled herself together.  “We’ll continue this another time, Winchester,” she promised. “Right.  Dean was asking for you,” Charlie told Sam. “He’s a mess and I think he wants to apologize too.”  Gabriel couldn’t help rolling his eyes at that, but neither Charlie, nor Sam, seemed to notice. “He and Cas went home right after the rehearsal.  Benny said that they didn’t show for cocktails with your parents last night either.”

 

Sam frowned.  “Shit. I hope their night wasn’t ruined.”

 

With that, Gabriel finally stepped in, placing a hand on Sam’s forearm.  “Woah, kiddo.” He chucked a finger under Sam’s chin and looked hard at him.  “None of that. You are  _ not  _ responsible for making their world run smoothly.  Forget about it,” Gabe ordered. After a beat, he smirked.  “Or I’ll spank you.”

 

“Promise,” Sam’s shoulders loosened and he grinned at Gabe’s teasing.

 

“Gross,” Charlie laughed at them.

 

Sam pulled him in for one more kiss before turning to Charlie and saying, “Where’s Dean?”

 

She smiled.  “Follow me.” Before they left, she met Gabe’s eyes for the first time since yesterday.  “Cas was asking for you too,” she informed him. “He’s in the gardens, where everything is set up.  He said he wanted to double check everything again before the ceremony.”

 

“Of course he did,” Gabriel marvelled at his little brother’s complete anal retentive nature.

 

“Do you need help finding it?” Charlie asked.

 

“Uh, nope,” Gabe said, risking a glance at Sam.  His lover was bright red, no doubt remembering their activities the day before.  “I think I can find it,” Gabriel tried to keep his voice neutral. He wanted to rib Sam for his embarrassment, but he wasn’t that cruel.  The kid looked ready to pass out as it was.

 

“Okay,” Charlie was oblivious as she pulled Sam away.

 

Gabriel allowed himself a moment to stare at Sam’s ass before spinning on his dress shoes and heading toward the gardens.  He wasn’t lying, he was pretty certain that he could find the area set up for the wedding without a guide. He was also quite sure that he wouldn’t want a witness around for whatever it was that Cas wanted to say.  He knew that he had to tamp down his natural instinct to withhold forgiveness, but it was Cassie’s wedding and he should at least  _ try _ .  That’s if Cassie was going to apologize.  Gabe loved his brother, but Cas could be flat out clueless sometimes and he honestly might not feel the need to say that he was sorry.  Might as well find out why he was being summoned.

 

He took a few wrong turns through the pathways of vegetation before coming to the familiar clearing.  The chairs along the aisle now had vines strung between them, like the velvet rope at a nightclub. One more thing separating the grooms from their guests.  Gabe had a feeling that Mary was behind  _ that _ little touch.  He found that he liked the Winchester matriarch much less than John.  While Sam’s father had been rough as well, he hadn’t been as consistent with his criticism and all-around shitty comments as Mary had.  Gabriel seethed as he remembered Sam confessing that he felt responsible for his mother’s cancer. That was a deep-seated and utterly  _ wrong  _ notion that Gabe was planning to dig out by the roots and burn once this weekend was over.

 

Gabriel forced himself to push his simmering rage down as he walked between the rows of chairs toward his brother.  Castiel was underneath the archway, his entire appearance flawless, with the exception of his bright green tie, flopped slightly off-kilter. He was bent over, his fingers running over the linen that covered the wooden table. Gabriel approached his brother warily.  “You wanted to see me?”

 

“Yes,” Cas sounded distracted. He scraped his fingernails over a discoloration in the cloth, frowning as small, dry, white pieces flaked off. It was right about where Sam had been bent prone, over the table, as Gabe fucked him into oblivion the day before.  Gabe felt his face heat, and he swallowed dryly as he realized what his brother was examining. Sam’s fucking semen. Fantastic. “What is this?” Cas murmured, poking at the spot.  

 

“No idea,” Gabe caught his brother’s wrist and physically pulled Cas away in an attempt to distract him. Thankfully, it worked.  He shifted his weight and crossed his arms as he looked up at his younger brother. “What did you want Castiel?” He rarely used Cas’ full name and he knew that it would sting.  Sue him, he was still pretty angry. 

 

He was astounded at the flicker of genuine emotion that flew across Castiel’s face. Normally, the youngest Novak was stoic and mysterious.  “I wanted to apologize. To you,” he said. “And to Sam.” Cas glanced around, as though noticing for the first time that Sam wasn’t with them. 

 

Gabe waved his hand carelessly. “Dean summoned,” was all he said.  

 

Cas nodded knowingly.  “I will speak with him later then and express my sincere regret at my own actions.”  Castiel’s head cocked to the side and his gaze was rather uncomfortable for Gabriel. “Standing idly by as Sam was treated in such a manner was unforgivable of me. It won’t happen again.”

 

“Thanks, Cassie,” Gabe murmured in surprise. He noticed that his little brother brightened at the use of a nickname he pretended to despise.  “I’m not saying that we’re all good—you have to get that from Samshine. And I’m still pretty pissed at everyone,” Gabe said. “But thank you. It means a lot.”  

 

They both went in for a hug that ended up being much more awkward than anticipated. Cas never really got the hang of returning the embrace and Gabe ended up just thumping his brother on the back a few times, feeling like a douche. The Novaks weren’t a very affectionate family at the best of times, so it wasn’t wholly unexpected.

 

When they separated, Cas blinked at him and said, “Will you still stand up with me?”

 

“What?” Gabriel was actually shocked.  “Of course I will,” he said. He very determinedly pushed away the thought that he’d threatened to boycott the whole wedding just that morning.  He’d been barely conscious and only half-serious. Now that he had an apology and was actually in the presence of his little brother, Gabriel caved.  In all honesty, he wasn’t surprised. While he was excellent at holding a grudge, when it came to the people he truly loved, Gabriel knew that he was a complete pushover; always craving harmony in a family that didn’t know the meaning of the word.  “Cassie,” Gabe reached out and patted his brother on the arm. “You’re my brother, and I love you. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

 

“Naked, on a yacht with Sam?” Cas deadpanned.

 

Damn, baby bro was getting quick.  Maybe Dean-o was a good influence on Castiel--at least in the ‘Having Fun’ department.  “Well, okay, yeah,” Gabriel admitted, grinning. “Obviously, that’s my first choice. Being with you for your wedding is my second.”

 

“I’ll happily take your second place,” Cas said in all seriousness.  

 

His younger sibling shifted on his feet and glanced up at Gabriel.  If he didn’t know better, Gabe would have thought that Cas was terrified of him.  “Ah, fuck. What now?”

 

“I need a favor,” Cas began.

 

“It’s too late for strippers, Cassie,” Gabriel said, back to his usual teasing self.  He knew that if he started to act ‘normal’ again, it would ease Castiel’s nerves.

 

“I still don’t want strippers,” Cas frowned.  He shook his head, his train of thought obviously derailed for a moment, which made Gabe laugh.  “I know that it’s unconventional, since we are both men,” Castiel continued. “But I would very much like to walk down the aisle toward Dean at the beginning of the ceremony.”

 

Gabe frowned softly, his brow creasing.  He wasn’t sure where Cas was going with this.  “Okay? Are you worried that people will say something about it?  Cause that’s bullshit,” Gabriel went with his initial instinct on what could make his brother seem even more nervous than the actual vows.  “It’s your wedding, bro. If you want to dance down the aisle to The Imperial March, that’s your own fucking business.”

 

Thankfully, Castiel chuckled at that, breaking some of the nervous tension that both brothers were now holding.  “Nothing like that,” Cas assured. “I don’t care what anyone thinks of my choices for the wedding. Although, I’m sure Mary would have objected to Star Wars music.”  

 

Gabriel grumbled under his breath what Mary Winchester could do with her opinion.  Cas let him ramble to himself for a moment before he made his request. “You’re my best man,” he said.  “In the absence of mother and father,” Cas paused while Gabe bitched about their parents. “I would like to ask if  _ you  _ would walk me down the aisle and ‘give me away,’ so to speak.” 

 

Surprisingly, Gabriel Novak was actually stunned speechless, which was no easy feat.  He blinked rather dumbly as Cas went on about leaving his old name behind and joining the Winchester clan with the blessing of his siblings.  Asking Gabriel to hand him off to Dean was a symbolic gesture that all of the Novaks who were in attendance approved of the marriage. Blah, blah, blah.  Gabriel could feel his eyes glazing over the longer Cas spoke. Finally he held up his hand and practically shouted, “Castiel,” to get his brother’s attention.

 

He stopped mid-sentence, his speech flowing directly into a, “Yes, Gabriel.”

 

“I’d be honored.”

 

Castiel was looking at him nervously, as though he didn’t compute what Gabe was saying.  Or that he thought it was a joke--which was usually an option with Gabriel. Not today, though.  Not for this. Gabriel was all for his kid brother moving on from their toxic clusterfuck of relations.  Neither of them spoke for a while, and Gabe could see that Cas was still wary, wondering if he was taking the request seriously.  He knew that he’d have to set his baby brother’s mind at ease. “No tricks,” he said. “I will walk you down the aisle and give you to Dean, if that’s what you want.”

 

“You don’t mind?”

 

“Of course not.”

 

“Do you think it’s...weird?”

 

“Hell, no,” Gabriel said.  “Okay, maybe a little,” he conceded.  “But Cas, you  _ are  _ weird.”

 

“Lucifer said it wasn’t normal,” Cas pouted, his voice soft.

 

“Well Luci is a supreme douche, so who cares what he thinks.”  

 

Castiel looked at him, and sighed.  “I just want a fresh start. A new life with Dean.”

 

“Hey, I don’t blame you  _ one bit  _ for getting out of our family,” Gabriel assured him.  “Honestly, I’m kind of jealous of you. Maybe one day I’ll be able to put the Novak name behind me too,” he sighed rather wistfully.

 

“Perhaps sooner rather than later,” Castiel hinted.

 

Gabriel narrowed his eyes a little at his brother’s astuteness.  “Perhaps,” he said in a very affected tone. “Seriously though, Cassie.  I am one hundred percent on board with you moving on to better things. And if this will make you happy, then I’ll make it happen.  Anything you want.”

 

“Thank you, Gabriel.  You’re a wonderful brother.”  

 

“Yeah, I know.”

 

They fell into a comfortable silence once again, and Gabriel noticed that Cas looked genuinely calmed, and possibly even excited about what was coming.  It wasn’t a common occurrence for Castiel, and Gabe couldn’t begrudge him the feeling--it was his damn wedding day, after all. Besides that, Cassie really needed to loosen up sometimes.

 

As though he could hear Gabe’s thoughts, Castiel chuckled lightly.  “They have a rather nice room set up for me in the main house to wait and prepare for the ceremony.  I was told there would be some snacks and...champagne,” Cas said. “I believe I should have a glass or two.”

 

“You’re going to do great, so don’t freak.  Dean-Bean loves you,” Gabriel said firmly.  

 

“Please don’t say that name to his face,” Cas requested seriously.  He received a non-commital shrug as a response before he left.

 

As Castiel walked back toward the house, Gabriel called after him, “Don’t drink too much!”  The phrase felt somewhat foreign on his lips and he shuddered theatrically. He hadn’t been kidding when he told Sam that responsibility didn’t look good on him.  Checking the time on his phone, Gabe realized that he might have a few minutes to steal his Samshine away for a hot makeout session before things got underway. He trotted off down the path after Cas, his eyes peeled for a tall, sexy man in a tux.   _ His  _ man.

 

* * *

 

Back when he’d been with Jess, and she’d been on her crazy wedding kick, Sam had been coerced into watching a lot of bridal reality shows.  He’d perfected the art of facing in the direction of the television and not looking glazed enough to draw suspicion. He had usually spent the time making mental grocery lists, planning his workouts, or just plain fantasizing.  In order to sell the ruse even further, he’d become adept at making vague observations about the shows such as, “What was she thinking?” They could easily be applied to almost anything Jess watched. Occasionally, he’d actually tune in, and he’d become acquainted with the term ‘Bridezilla.’

 

Sam understood that a lot of people were under incredible stress dealing with their wedding day; he just didn’t see himself as that kind of an individual.  When it came right down to it, would anyone look back on their big day and remember that the Flower Girl didn’t drop a single petal at a time, and tossed random clumps of roses?  Did it really matter that the soup course was accidentally served before the salad? In Sam’s mind, it didn’t--at all--but he could understand how some people might crack a bit under the pressure.  After dealing with Dean, a half hour before the ‘I do’s,’ Sam wondered if there was a term like ‘Bridezilla,’ but for groomsmen. Particularly Best Men whose brother was about to lose it.

 

He’d managed to fend off another heartfelt apology from Charlie after they’d left Gabriel on their way to find Dean.  Once she’d shown him where the Winchester side of the wedding had gathered, he’d managed to appease her with another generic, “We’re good,” before slipping in to Dean’s room.  The wedding hadn’t even begun, and Sam was already wound much too tight.

 

Inside, Benny was standing near the door, looking borderline disturbed.  Sam nodded at him, and let out a small sigh of relief that Benny didn’t feel the need to pounce on him with an apology the second he saw him.  Sam had never been on the best of terms with Benny, so he wasn’t too surprised; but he’d been wondering if Jo would bully the man into it. She might be pissed at him for what Gabe said, but Jo was like the Winchester’s kid sister--she wouldn’t stay mad for long.

 

Sam looked around the room, but Dean was nowhere to be found.  All he saw was Jo, who was standing in the corner of the room, near a large decorative screen.  She was giggling—complete with a few snorts—at something, but Sam had no idea what she had found so amusing.  When she turned and saw him standing there, her face contorted into an ugly mask.  

 

“‘Bout time you got here,” she snapped.  “I guess you were too busy screwing your new toy to do your duties as Best Man.  I filled in for you.” Sam but down a retort at her rudeness. She had no right to speak about Gabriel that way. Sam felt his irritation with her boil; something that probably wouldn’t have happened if she had left Gabe out of it. 

 

Jo stomped toward him and tossed something into the air.  It almost seemed to be aimed at his head. He caught it on reflex and groaned when he saw it was their dad’s old flask.  And it was empty.  

 

Sam’s nostrils flared and he looked up to see Dean walk around from the back of the screen where he’d been hiding.  His brother looked completely put together, pressed and dapper; the image of the perfect bridegroom. That was, until he tripped over nothing and almost face-planted at Sam’s feet.

 

“What the hell, Dean?” Sam asked, instinctively bending over to help his brother to his feet.

 

“I’m fine,” Dean said gruffly.  

 

The door clicked shut behind them, and when Sam turned, the room was empty.  Jo and Benny had left him alone with his drunk brother. Well, to be fair, Dean was tipsy, not full blown hammered--not yet.  “Why did you bring dad’s flask?”

 

“Jo gave it to me,” Dean explained.  “I was nervous. She helped. That’s what Best Men  _ do _ , Sammy.”

 

“It’s Sam,” he said it on reflex.  “Seriously, you can’t get drunk before your wedding.  Don’t you think that will hurt Cas’ feelings?”

 

“Cas’ feelings are mad feelings,” Dean moved over to a long table full of finger foods and bottles of water.  He picked through a few things, making comments about how he wanted some sliders instead, before he finally picked up a donut and took a comically large bite.

 

Years of experience taught Sam to just wait, and Dean would explain in his own time.  After his brother polished off the pastry, he said, “Cas doesn’t want to marry me unless I apologize to you.  So, I’m sorry.”

 

“What?” 

 

“He yelled at me,” Dean’s tone was accusatory.  “He said Gabe was right, and that mom and dad are mean to you.  Said I wasn’t very nice to you either. Which is stupid, right?”  When Sam didn’t respond, Dean’s mouth fell open. “Seriously? You’re mad at me too?”

 

“Dean, I’m,” Sam bit his lip.  He’d been all set to appease his brother and tell him that everything was fine—that he wasn’t mad—but something stopped him.  “It’s a shit situation,” he finally said. “Do I agree with Gabe? Yeah. Do I want to get into this on your wedding day? Not so much.”  He pinched the bridge of his nose and said, “Can we table this? Maybe talk about it later. Like, in a few decades?”

 

“Sounds good,” Dean said, sounding completely sober.

 

“Did you really drink the whole flask?”

 

“Most of it.”

 

“You’re such a dick,” Sam laughed.  “Make sure you brush your teeth, or Cas is going to smell a distillery on your breath for your first kiss.”

 

“Yeah, yeah,” Dean smiled, waving him off.  There was a beat, and then Dean said, “So you’ll tell Cas I said I was sorry, right?  I kind of need him to marry me today.”

 

Sam rolled his eyes.  “Of course, Dean.” What did he expect?  He walked over to his brother and fixed his bowtie, making sure that it was perfectly centered.

 

“Thanks,” Dean smiled at him.  For a moment, they were almost normal.

 

“Jerk.”

 

“Bitch.”

 

After Sam double-checked the room to make sure it was now alcohol free, he left, keeping his promise to inform Cas that Dean had begged his forgiveness.  Or that he’d at least attempted to apologize. Either way, Sam doubted that Cas would call off the wedding for something like that. Still, he’d make the effort to see that the day ran as smooth as possible.

 

He saw Benny and Jo down the hall, standing way too close.  While Benny ignored him, Jo shot him a nasty look before turning away.  So much for her considering him a part of her ‘family,’ apparently. Her chips were falling on Dean’s side, and she was making it abundantly clear.  Sam tried not to let it get to him, but it still stung.

 

Unsure which room of the restored farmhouse that Cas had been assigned, Sam made his way to the front, hoping that an employee could help him.  The small desk in the entryway was empty, and there was no one nearby. Sam ducked out of the front door onto the wide, wrap-around porch. He smiled when he saw Gabriel sitting in one of the high-backed rocking chairs, swinging his feet, and putting enough strain on the rockers to make Sam slightly worried about their integrity.

 

“You look like you’re trying to launch yourself to the moon,” he commented.

 

The rocking stopped immediately and Gabe grinned up at him.  He was chewing something that was loudly crunching, and Sam quirked an eyebrow.  He didn’t see any food. “What are you eating?”

 

“Nothing.” Gabe was still chewing and his voice was muffled.  He hopped off of the rocking chair and did a strange little swagger over to Sam, his cheeks slightly puffed out as he ate.  It was ridiculous, but Sam still felt his dick twitch at the look in Gabe’s eyes.

 

“I can see you eating,” Sam pointed out.  “And I’m not your mom, so I’m not going to tell you that you can’t eat, you weirdo.”

 

Gabriel rolled his eyes and swallowed.  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cardboard package of Nerds.  Sam smiled at him indulgently and allowed Gabe’s hands to grip his tux jacket and pull him in for a candy-coated kiss.  “Wait a minute,” Sam backed up as a thought flashed through his mind. “If you have candy in your pocket, then where are you keeping the ring?”

 

The sly look on his lover’s face was nothing short of devious as Gabe held up the package of Nerds, giving it a single shake.  “No,” Sam breathed. “You’re kidding?”

 

“Of course I’m kidding,” Gabriel laughed.  “Fuck, kiddo. I’m not  _ that  _ twisted.”  He pulled the small, velvet, drawstring bag out of his  _ other  _ pocket and waved it in front of Sam’s nose.  When Sam snatched it out of his hand and opened the bag to double check, Gabe actually snorted.  “Satisfied?” he smirked when Sam handed him the ring.

 

“Yes.”  Sam ran his finger along Gabe’s neck.  “How’s Cas doing?”

 

Gabriel shrugged.  “He seems fine. He wants me to walk him down the aisle.”  Sam’s brow furrowed and Gabe quirked his lips. “I told you that Cassie was the bride,” he said, causing Sam to chuckle.  “How’s The Dean Machine?”

 

“Okay,” Sam said.  He left out the part about Jo and the flask.  He didn’t want Gabriel to think even less of his family, though he knew that his boyfriend wouldn’t judge  _ him  _ by it.  He certainly didn’t group Gabriel in with Lucifer, or even stuffy Michael.  “He’s nervous, I guess. I just wish that this whole wedding was over with. I can’t help but think that it’s going to get worse.”

 

“Nice attitude, Debbie Downer,” Gabe teased.  Sam glared at the nickname. “Negative Nancy? Stella Stormcloud?”  

 

“Seriously,” Sam laughed.  “It’s crazy, I know. It doesn’t make sense.”

 

Gabriel shrugged and laced his fingers with Sam’s.  “Feelings don’t make sense. That’s life, kiddo.” They stood on the porch, smiling at one another, their arms swinging as they inched closer.  When their chests brushed, Gabriel latched his free hand around Sam’s neck and brought him down into a white-hot kiss--one that seemed to punch Sam right in the gut.  A few minutes went by, as they publicly made-out, uncaring about anything except one another. “What are you doing right now?” Gabriel asked breathlessly as he pulled away.

 

“I have to find your brother,” Sam said vaguely.  He was disappointed that the kissing had stopped. Why wasn’t there more kissing happening? 

 

“Why?” Gabriel asked.  Sam didn’t answer. He was too busy staring at Gabe’s mouth, which made his boyfriend smirk.  “How do you feel about finding a broom closet with me instead, and getting some wrinkles in these monkey suits?” Gabriel winked at him.  “Just you, me, and some more high quality kissing, before we have to be respectable grown-ups?”

 

“When it comes to you, I’m Pro-Kissing, all the time,” Sam laughed.  He even proved himself, by leaning down and planting one on the corner of Gabe’s mouth.  “But that’s it,” he said firmly. “We don’t have a lot of time before everything starts.”

 

Gabriel stuck out his bottom lip and pouted.  “But I wanted to give you a handjob while I ravished those lips.”

 

A feminine sound of disapproval came in the form of Mary clearing her throat behind them.  Sam actually felt his stomach drop as he turned, his eyes trained firmly on his lover. John was hovering just behind his wife, and Sam sent up a prayer that this wasn’t going to get ugly.  He didn’t need this right now. He had honestly hoped that they could get through the wedding having minimal contact with his parents after the explosive confrontation yesterday. He’d figured that his parents felt the same, since neither of them had bothered to contact him after he and Gabriel had stormed off.

 

“Mary,” Gabriel was grinning toothily at his mother.  The exuberant tone was fake, but the underlying warning in his boyfriend’s eyes was all too real.  “May we help you?”

 

Sam finally turned his gaze to his parents and was surprised to see how somber they both looked.  His mother could scarcely look at him, and Sam could see that his father’s eyes were glassy, tears actually brimming on the lashes.  He’d only seen his dad cry once, over his mother’s diagnosis--never before, and never since.

 

“Sammy,” his mother said softly.  Automatically correcting her, though no one ever listened to him, he was stunned when his mother nodded and replied, “Sam.”  

 

It was enough to give him pause, and he knew that Gabriel could tell.  His boyfriend stepped toward his side, letting Sam take the lead, though their hands remained clasped in a show of unity and support.  “Mom?”

 

A soft breath puffed from her mouth and she half-smiled before her whole countenance shifted.  She looked embarrassed when she opened her mouth to speak. “I’m so sorry.”

 

It wasn’t what he’d been expecting, and Sam’s mouth fell open.  “Huh?”

 

“ _ We _ are so sorry,” she amended.  Mary glanced to John and he moved to stand beside her.  “Your father and I were up most of the night talking,” she said.  “At first we were furious, especially at you,” she glanced at Gabriel, who shrugged, nonplussed.  “But the more we talked, the more we realized that Gabriel is right--we are terrible.”

 

“No, mom,” Sam tried, even as Gabe squeezed his hand in a soft, silent, reprimand.

 

John was the one who cut him off, though.  “Don’t defend us, Sam,” he said. “We have been horrible to you.  For years, we have. It’s not an excuse, but it was easier to blame you for Mary’s cancer than anything else.  You were there. Tangible. Not some concept like fate, or God, or just shit luck. We put that on you, when you were a baby, and it wasn’t your fault.”  

 

Sam had tried to stay as strong as possible, but as soon as his father admitted that they blamed him for a disease that he had nothing to do with, Sam felt the first tear fall.  Gabriel’s hand was strong in his, holding him, grounding him. He was so grateful for his boyfriend--not just in this moment, but for being the catalyst to make his parents finally see that Sam was doing his best.  That he was worthwhile. 

 

“We had no right to do that, baby,” Mary chimed in.  “We were  _ so _ wrong--so very wrong.  After you left, I started yelling at John about how you and Gabriel had ruined everything for Dean.  Cas put a quick stop to that.”

 

Sam was expecting that after his conversation with Dean, but he noticed that Gabriel blinked in surprise at the admission.  Mary began to speak in a rush, as though she couldn’t stop her thoughts from tumbling out. “He just started yelling right back, telling us that his brother was right and that we should be ashamed.  And for some reason, it started to click when another person pointed it out.”

 

“It was something we discussed last night,” John said.  “That was two people who saw what we couldn’t. It made us reexamine some things.  Sam,” John said, meeting his son’s eyes. “We are truly sorry. We don’t know how we will ever make this up to you.”

 

“But we are going to do our damndest to show you how much we love you from now on,” Mary added.

 

There was a long beat of silence as Sam digested the words that he had longed to hear for so many years.  He found himself absently bobbing his head, but unable to speak. Both Mary and John whispered, “I’m sorry,” a few more times while Sam collected himself.  Gabe stood silently at his shoulder, his very presence keeping Sam sane. Fuck, he loved that man.

 

After an age, he managed to say a simple, “Thank you.”  Both his parents nodded, but didn’t speak again. Sam took a calming breath, steadying himself.  “It’s going to take time,” he said honestly. “I appreciate that you’ve realized how you’ve treated me--and that you apologized--but this isn’t going to be a simple fix.  This has been going on for  _ years _ ,” Sam’s voice wavered, earning him a finger squeeze from Gabriel.  “It isn’t going to be fixed in a day. So,” he tried to smile at them, but it felt forced.  “Thank you. But I’m going to need some more time to see that things really have changed before I fully accept your apology.”

 

“That’s fair,” his father said, trying to look stoic.

 

Mary seemed to be taking Sam’s words harder.  “Okay,” she whispered sadly. “We love you.”

 

“I love you too, mom,” Sam said.  The phrase felt almost hollow on his tongue.  A reflex; as though the words didn’t carry weight for him any longer.

 

The moment was broken when a few of the people organizing the wedding came bustling by and latched on to Mary for some last minute approvals.  She looked heartbroken as she was pulled away from her youngest, but she didn’t try to force his hand. John stood there for a few more moments after she left looking resigned before he turned on his heel and walked away without a backward glance.

 

Sam waited until his father was out of sight before he let go.  Gabriel cooed at him, and gathered him up in a tight embrace. He ran his fingers through Sam’s hair, and placed soft kisses on his cheeks as Sam sobbed for a good few minutes.  Words of love and support flowed over Sam, and he was struck once more at how wonderful Gabe was for him. He’d never be able to repay his boyfriend for this.

 

He hadn’t even realized that he’d spoken aloud until Gabriel grasped his face and forced their eyes to meet.  “Relationships aren’t about payback,” he said. “Or  _ owing  _ anyone.  This is love, not a fucking business transaction, kiddo.”

 

“I just haven’t made the best impression this week,” Sam said, rubbing furiously at the tear tracks drying on his cheeks.

 

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Gabriel looked shocked.

 

Sam shrugged, sniffed, and wiped his hand across his face once more.  “Spilling coffee on myself, letting you blow me in the airport bathroom--that’s not super classy of me,” he tried to laugh.  “Forcing you to share your room. Not to mention all the exes you’ve had to wade through, including your own fucking brother.”

 

“Don’t ever mention that you had sex with him again,” Gabriel cut in, his eyes narrowing as he glanced around them, seemingly looking for Lucifer.

 

“Fine,” Sam agreed.  “I won’t. Never happened.”

 

“None of those things are your fault either,” Gabriel pointed out.  “I was the one who ran into you, so the coffee thing is on me. The blowie in the bathroom?  Please--you didn’t  _ let  _ me suck you off--I did that all on my own.  And it was a super classy blowjob.” He waited for Sam to smile and nod.  “Also, I  _ offered  _ my room, and you were a tough sell too.  I almost thought you’d turn me down, and then I wouldn’t have got to fuck you, which would have been the  _ worst _ .”  Gabe sounded so dramatic, and Sam actually barked out a laugh at his comment.  “And everyone has exes, kiddo. Me included.”

 

Sam felt an actual growl bubble up in his chest at the thought of Gabriel with anyone else.  That wasn’t going to happen ever again. Gabriel Novak was  _ his. _   “Okay,” he said after he let Gabe think he’d won the debate.  “But you had to stand up to my family for me because I was too much of a coward to do it myself.”

 

“Kiddo, no one wants to stand up to their own family,” Gabriel’s grin dropped.  “I get that more than I think you realize. But you’re not a coward. You shouldn’t have had to deal with that bullshit in the first place.  And it had been going on for a long time.”

 

“Too long,” Sam said.  “I don’t think I could have done it myself.  Not ever.”

 

“You could have,” Gabriel said confidently.  “But that’s what I’m here for--so that you don’t have to face everything by yourself.”

 

“I’m worried that it’s just too much, too soon,” Sam admitted.

 

Gabriel’s smirk spoke volumes.  “You, and your issues don’t scare me. Just like I’m hoping mine won’t scare you off.”  Sam shook his head vehemently. He planned on hanging on to Gabriel for a long time. Forever sounded nice.  “Awesome. You’re not getting rid of me that easy.”

 

“Good,” Sam’s voice was hardly audible as he leaned down and whispered against Gabe’s lips.  He poured his gratitude into the kiss, knowing that if his lover picked up on the sentiment, he’d tell him off for it.  Sam didn’t care. He just wanted this quirky, loving,  _ perfect  _ man to know how much he was appreciated.

 

“Looks like we don’t have time for the broom closet,” Gabe said when Sam finally pulled back.  “I guess I should get back to Cassie. It’s about time to get this shit started.”

 

“Yeah,” Sam tried not to show how much he wished Gabriel could stay at his side.  He knew that he was supposed to be there for Dean, but Sam felt wrung out and could use a few more shots of his boyfriend’s endless positivity.

 

Gabriel popped up on his toes and gave Sam one more firm, quick, kiss.  “Love ya, kiddo.”

 

As they moved to separate, Sam turned, spinning into someone.  It was a slight, blonde woman in a peach lace dress. He reached out a hand to steady her on instinct.  “Sorry,” he said, smiling. “I didn’t see you there.” The smile didn’t last, however, once she spoke.

 

“Sam?”

 

His shoulders tensed and his eyes slammed shut as Sam reached blindly for his boyfriend.  Gabriel seemed to know exactly what he needed, because his hand was soon grasped painfully tight.  This had to be a nightmare. Any minute, he was going to wake up in bed with Gabe snuggled next to him.  Nothing happened. He wasn’t waking up. This couldn’t be reality. There was no way that fate would deal him a hand like this.  Fuck! 

 

Sam forced his eyes open and stared at one of the last people he had _ ever _ expected to run into at his brother’s wedding. “Jess?”


	12. Let It Go.  Smile.  You're With Me.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Sam reaches his limit, Gabriel gets carried away, the Novaks have feels, and there’s finally a freaking wedding...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't leave it hanging at the end of the last chapter for TOO long...
> 
> The title of this chapter is a line from the movie "A Lot Like Love," which didn't do amazingly well at the box office, but I love it anyway.

Sam had been absolutely correct—this wedding  _ was _ going to get worse. 

 

It took him a few moments to get his bearings as he blinked dazedly at his ex-girlfriend.  He hadn’t seen her in over a year. Not since he’d walked in on her and Brady having sex in their bed.  On his favorite flannel sheets. Which, when he thought about it, was probably Brady’s idea in the first place. His ex-boyfriend’s tendency to twist the knife a little deeper was written all over  _ that _ particular stunt. After Jess had moved out, Sam tossed the sheets in the dumpster.  The simple act had pissed him off almost more than the actual infidelity. He’d loved those fucking sheets--apparently more than he’d loved his cheating  _ almost  _ fiancée.  

 

He wouldn’t lie--Sam had spent quite some time picturing what he would say to the girl who ripped his heart out and put it through a meat grinder.  But is was just his luck that now that the moment was here, he couldn’t seem to form words.

 

He heard a faint rumble come from Gabriel, and Sam knew that it hadn’t escaped his lover that this girl was the very ‘Jess’ who’d left him for his ex-boyfriend.  The dangerous and possessive noise sent a shiver through Sam, even as Gabriel’s fingers crushed his own. He didn’t have to look to know that his boyfriend looked less than friendly at this new intrusion. 

 

As though she hadn’t noticed, Jess’ eyes were focused solely on Sam.  She repeated his name brightly. Her whole face seemed to smile, as though she was genuinely happy to see him; as though she hadn’t coldly broken him in the cruelest way that she knew.  “How have you been? You look good.” It felt fake; but more importantly, it  _ looked  _ fake.

 

Sam couldn’t even form a full thought.  He was preoccupied with the fact that, while this wasn’t a pleasant experience, it didn’t  _ hurt _ like he’d assumed it would. He could feel Gabriel next to him, and even just the briefest thought of the man washed away any previous heartache that Sam had ever felt. Gabriel was like a balm for his very soul.  It was humbling and a little scary, but not unwelcome. He still hadn’t responded to Jessica’s observation when another person joined them. 

 

“Don’t be a tease, darling.  Winchester knows he looks terrible.”

 

Tensing, Sam prepared himself to face yet another mistake from his youth.  The smug look that marred the familiar face was one Sam knew well. He’d been on the receiving end of it often enough.  He shuddered to think that he’d once found the man handsome; and that he used to consider the use of his last name as a caring sort of endearment.  “Brady,” he said through gritted teeth. 

 

Next to him, Gabriel straightened to his full five foot eight, which looked somewhat comical next to Sam’s height advantage.  He still appreciated that his boyfriend looked poised for a fight. Those flashing amber eyes narrowed and Gabe’s lips thinned.  “Two exes for the price of one? You shouldn’t have, babe.”

 

The use of a pet name that wasn’t ‘kiddo,’ told Sam all that he needed to know. Gabriel knew  _ exactly  _ who these people were, and he wasn’t happy.  “Brady, huh? And Miss Jessica Moore,” Gabe’s voice was pinched. “It’s been a while.”

 

He registered that Gabriel had used Jess’ last name, and Sam knew that he’d never mentioned it.  Before he could ask, Jess stammered. “You know Sam?”

 

“Who exactly  _ are  _ you?” Brady spoke before Gabe had a chance to answer.  His rude tone implied that he didn’t think Gabe belonged, which made a giggle bubble up in Sam’s chest. 

 

“First and foremost, I’m Sam’s date,” Gabriel smiled harshly. “His boyfriend, actually.”  Sam nodded hastily, confirming when both of his exes looked to him with silent questions in their eyes. “Secondly,” Gabriel went on, “I’m one of the Best Men and the favorite big brother to one of the grooms. The handsome one, not the Squirrel.”

 

“Oh,” Brady’s voice was clipped. He proceeded to turn slightly away from Gabriel to stare at Sam. He slid his arm around Jess’s waist and pulled her close. Sam could see Brady’s fingers digging in, low on her hip.  Jess was leaning into the grope, jutting her chest out toward him, tempting. 

 

Sam knew enough about both of them to realize what was going on. Brady was staking his claim and peacocking, while Jess was trying to show Sam what he was missing. “Seems that you managed to find someone to put up with you,” Brady finally said. “How’s the rest of your life going?  Do you still live in that roach infested studio that you forced on my sweet Jessica?”

 

He took a measured breath before he answered.  “Seeing as law school is expensive, it was the best I could afford at the time.”  Obviously Gabriel was rubbing off on him, because normally, Sam would have  _ never _ said what he did next.  “And it’s not like you paid rent, Jess.  Or for power, internet or even groceries.  If you had pitched in, even a little, we might have been able to get a decent place.”

 

She snorted lightly.  “You know that I didn’t have enough in my budget for that kind of stuff,” as though food, electricity, and a roof over her head weren’t necessities.  

 

“But you had enough for highlights and top shelf tequila.”

 

“Don’t be rude, Winchester,” Brady said lazily.  “It doesn’t look good on you.”

 

“The hair made me feel better about myself, since you were always too busy,” Jess told him.  “And the tequila? Well, that was just to make it easier to have sex with you.”

 

Sam felt his entire being crumple at her cruel words.  His mind was muddied with what to say, but each phrase was worse than the last. Sam knew that he was floundering in the seconds he remained silent.  Jess and Brady’s sneers showed their opinions silently. What Sam had forgotten, was that he had an angel in his corner.

 

“Okay, that’s enough of that,” Gabe cut in after a few too many beats of tense stillness.  He fixed both Brady and Jess with a look that spoke volumes; none of it nice. “I suggest that you two make your way to the garden and take your seats.  Quickly. Quietly. Before I suggest to Cassie that you don’t need to be here. It’s no trouble for me at all to remove those who aren’t welcome.”

 

Brady looked as though he was going to protest, but Jessica must have noticed the furious look in Gabe’s eyes.  She tugged on her partner’s sleeve and they walked back into the farmhouse; leaving, but pointedly  _ not  _ doing as Gabriel had asked.  Sam shook his head. Of all the fucking places, they had to be  _ here _ .

 

He felt Gabriel’s pull on his own arm and automatically allowed his shorter boyfriend to manipulate him.  “Nice to see you,” Sam said after them flatly, as Gabe steered him in the other direction, down the porch steps.

 

Wordlessly, Sam allowed himself to be guided away, still reeling from the shock. Had Jess always been such a  _ bitch _ when they were together?  Had  _ Brady _ ?  Sam picked through a few memories, and he realized that maybe he’d been looking at both of them through a rose-colored lens. At least until they’d gone behind his back and made him out to be foolish, and apparently unworthy.   _ That _ was a flashing, neon, road sign, if Sam had ever seen one.  Too bad that it was too late to save his pride. 

 

“I swear if you’re thinking you somehow deserved that, I’m going to take you over my knee, kiddo,” Gabriel growled. He increased the pressure of his palm on Sam’s lower back as they left the farmhouse behind. 

 

“I want to leave, Gabe.”

 

“I know, Sammy.”

 

“Take me back to the hotel.  I don’t want to be here. Fuck the wedding.”

 

Gabe sucked in a breath.  “Stick with me for a minute first, kiddo.  I promise, if you still want to disappear in five minutes, I will personally escort you to the fucking airport if need be.  Okay? Can you do that?”

 

Sam shrugged listlessly.  “I guess. For you.”

 

“I love you.”  Gabriel’s words got passed the fog of self-hatred that Sam was desperately trying to swim through. 

 

Their feet kicked up dust from the gravel as Gabe left the main paths, winding down a few turns before they stopped beneath a towering, shady, black walnut tree.  Gabriel controlled Sam, pressing his back against the dark grey bark of the tree, his smaller frame boxing Sam in, one hand on the tree trunk. Their bodies were millimeters apart, Gabriel’s head just under Sam’s chin.  It was oddly comforting to have someone so fully in his personal space. “Deep breath, kiddo.”

 

Sam obeyed.  His eyes fluttered shut and he forced in a massive lungful of oxygen, holding it. The surrounding air was heavy with heat and a sharp, spicy scent.  It felt grounding. Gabriel’s hand was running along Sam’s bicep in smooth, comforting motions. When he exhaled, Sam was ashamed at how shaky it sounded.  He shouldn’t be this affected by something that happened two years ago. “Fuck.”

 

“Jeez, Sammy,” Gabriel said. “You’re really getting put through the fucking wringer this week.”

 

“You could say that,” he attempted to make light by offering a half-hearted chuckle. “I was prepared for the bullshit family drama—not so much the parade of fucking exes reminding me why I’m not good enough.  That’s been a fun twist.” He couldn’t disguise the bitterness.

 

Gabriel’s soothing touches on his arm abruptly stopped.  When they didn’t resume, Sam cracked open his eyes and looked down at his boyfriend. Gabe wasn’t looking at him, he was staring blankly off to the side, but the look on his face was terrifying.  Sam sincerely hoped that it wasn’t directed at him, but he knew that it was. “Gabe?”

 

“Please.”  The word sounded strained and foreign in Gabe’s voice, as though it wasn’t something he often said.  It probably wasn’t. “Sam, please tell me that you don’t mean that.”

 

“I, uh…”

 

“You’re  _ too _ good for pieces of trash like those two.  Way too good,” Gabriel lifted his face and fixed Sam was a rueful glance. “Much too good for me.”

 

“No, Gabe,” Sam interrupted. “You’re so amazing!  Don’t talk about yourself like that, it—“ He cut himself off at the pointed look his lover was giving him, one eyebrow cocked and Gabriel’s whole face silently saying,  _ ‘See how that feels?’ _   “Oh,” was all he could think to say. 

 

“Yeah,  _ oh _ ,” Gabriel’s palm was rubbing his arm again and he’d managed to step even closer, wedging himself against Sam fully.  “I don’t like hearing you cut yourself down like that either. So don’t.”

 

“Or you’ll take me over your knee, I remember.”

 

“Good boy.”  Gabriel’s words, combined with the tone, sent shivers of desire through Sam’s entire body. 

 

He felt Gabe shifting against him.  When his boyfriend raised himself up on his toes and pressed a sweet kiss to Sam’s mouth, all of the sick feelings of inadequacy, shame, and anger fell away.  Gabriel’s mere presence was a healing balm for Sam—as he had been all weekend. Cupping the back of Gabriel’s head, Sam licked into his lover’s mouth, deepening the kiss.  It wasn’t too heated, or as passionate as they had been thus far--it was grounding; pure.

 

“They don’t matter,” Gabe whispered against his lips.  “I’ll have Cassie give the ‘Okay’ to boot them out on their asses if you want.  Scratch that,” Gabe snorted. “I don’t give a fuck if Cassie approves. You want them gone, I’ll run them out of town for you, kiddo.”

 

It took a moment for Sam to come to a decision.  He shook his head. “It’s fine. I don’t care—they can stay.”

 

Gabe huffed. “You’re so much nicer than me.”

 

“What?” Sam genuinely smiled. “You’re nice!”

 

“Wow,” Gabe let out a whistle.  “You do  _ not _ know me that well, it would seem.  I’m sure my siblings would be happy to tell you what an absolute  _ dick _ I can be.  Actually,” Gabe pretended to think, “don’t ask them. They’ll lie and make me look horrible. Don’t ever listen to Anna or my brothers.  Especially Luci—silver-tongued jackass.”

 

Sam chuckled, his earlier foul mood draining away. “I can’t promise they won’t tell me things, but I’ll assume they’re making shit up. Does that work?”

 

“It’ll do.  And,” he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.  “We have plenty of time to learn about each other.  Forever sounds good, doesn’t it?”

 

“Yeah, it does,” Sam said softly. 

 

Something shifted in the air between them at the idea.  It was charged. Magnetic. Profound. Sam couldn’t rip his eyes away from Gabe’s.  He was lost in a sea of shimmering gold. Fuck, his boyfriend’s eyes were intoxicating.  Sam wasn’t even breathing, and Gabriel was oddly still as they gazed at one another. It felt as though they were rushing toward the edge of a cliff.  Sam didn’t know what lay in wait at the bottom—but _ oh _ , he wanted to take the plunge. To fall, with  _ this _ man, was all Sam could think about. 

 

The spell snapped for Gabe first.  He cleared his throat and stepped back.  “Looks like our count of ‘Sammy’s Former Paramours’ is now up to seven.”

 

“Seven?” Sam wrinkled his nose, mentally calculating everyone they had run into for the last few days.  When the dots connected, he shot his boyfriend a patented bitchface. “Becky doesn’t count.”

 

Gabe smirked.  “Just testing you.”

 

“Dick.”

 

“Well, that’s hardly an insult,” Gabriel smiles. “I told you I was.”  His palm was resting against Sam’s right pec, and he swore he felt Gabriel try to give his nipple a feel.  “Fine—six. Six of Sammy’s exes. Taunting me. I wonder who will be next?” Gabe joked. 

 

“Fuck, I hope we don’t see anyone else that I’ve dated for the rest of my life,” Sam said.  “With my luck, the officiant will be the kid who gave me my first kiss.” 

 

“Who was that?” 

 

“Some guy named Cole.  His dad and mine served together in the Marines.”

 

“Are you trying to lighten the mood, or should I be actually worried about this dude showing up to sweep you off your feet?”  Gabe’s tone was joking, but his eyes were serious.

 

“Not serious,” Sam confirmed.  “At least, I really fucking hope not.  I haven’t seen him since I was about eleven.  He kind of slobbered.”  

 

Gabriel chuckled at that.  “So, first kiss was with another boy?”

 

“Yeah, it was,” Sam smiled down at him.

 

“How old were you?”

 

“Eight.”

 

“That’s old.”

 

“No, it’s not,” Sam defended.  “Why? How old were you?”

“Five.  I got caught kissing the weird kid, Baldur, in the boy’s room at school,” Gabriel told him.  “And even though he ran around kissing everyone in our class, I’m sure that I was very special to him.”

 

Sam tried to bite back a smile.  “So,” he failed, and started to grin.  “You have a history with being inappropriate in public restrooms?”

 

“Oh, fuck off,” Gabriel choked on air, cackling happily.  They laughed together, leaning into one another. Gabe’s arms slipped around his waist, dipping low.  The light touches over his ass were both comforting and infuriating. Especially since it felt so good. “How are you, kiddo?  Are you doing any better?”

 

“Yeah.  Thanks for distracting me,” Sam told him.  “Wow. This is the worst wedding ever,” Sam said.  “And it hasn’t even happened yet.”

 

“I don’t know about the  _ worst _ ,” Gabriel said lightly.  “I mean it’s not exactly The Red Wedding, is it?  No one’s died yet.”

 

“Don’t say that,” Sam glared at him.  “Don’t put that shit out into the universe.  You’ve just opened us up to have some chain-saw wielding maniac crash the reception.”

 

“That could be fun.”

 

“No.”

 

* * *

 

When the dastardly duo had started in on Sam, Gabriel had seen red. Considering that he did his best to shy away from conflict, the urge to punch people had happened more times in the last forty-eight hours than the rest of Gabriel’s entire existence combined.  He especially wanted to hit Lucifer, but that wasn’t anything new. What surprised him was the overwhelming urge to fight, protect, and hide Sam from any, and all, who crossed their path. 

 

The fact that Brady was an asshole was a given.  Gabe could see it written all over the guy; from his posture, to the trying-too-hard suit, right on down to the nasty look on Brady’s  _ punchable _ face. Jess, however, was a shock.

 

He hadn’t realized that Jessica Moore was  _ Sam’s _ Jess.  How could he have seen that one coming?  Not that it would have made much difference.  If he’d known, he would at least have been able to warn Sam that she’d be in attendance. The thing that bothered him the most was that Gabe couldn’t seem to reconcile the young girl who had sleepovers with Cassie and Anna as the bitch who broke Sammy’s heart.

 

Apparently Little Jessie Moore grew up to be a total douche. That threw Gabe for a loop.  As soon as she chimed in with the dig about Sam’s performance in the sack, Gabriel’s tunnel focus had him making sure that he got Sam out of that situation as quickly as possible—without bloodshed.  Because Gabriel almost snapped on them both. 

 

He didn’t even remember what he said to them that made them walk away.  All he cared about was making sure his Samshine was okay. When he saw the huge tree in the gardens, he headed straight for it, towing Sam along.  It had been a rough few minutes, but now that Sam was smiling again, Gabriel felt something dark in his chest uncoil and relax. 

 

The crisis seemed averted for the moment. Gabriel vowed that he’d keep an eye on those two for the rest of the night. If either of them approached Sam again, he would step in before things got nasty.  That moment that their eyes had met after Gabe had mentioned the concept of ‘forever’ tested his resolve. The pull to gather Sam in his arms and just come right out with the words was almost too much. Gabriel had almost blurted a hasty marriage proposal right there.  After four freaking days. 

 

Then Sam chastised him for sending bad vibes out for the rest of the wedding and Gabriel felt warm. He could get so comfortable with this man by his side.  Despite his teasing, he agreed that a murderous psycho would put a damper on the reception.  

 

Unable to resist the entirely cute, stern look on Sam’s face, he yanked his lover down to him in a fervish kiss.  Sam melted under his touch, opening for him with soft whimpers that made Gabriel want to lose himself. He started to take and take, spurred on by Sam’s reactions.  With a start, Gabe came back to his senses and pulled away, Sam chasing his lips. “Sorry,” he panted. “I didn’t mean to--mmmph!”

 

Sam crashed them back together with more force than Gabriel had prepared for.  Those strong arms snaked around his waist and pulled him in. He actually floundered for a moment as Sam took control, claiming him desperately with lips, teeth, and tongue.  Gabriel usually enjoyed being the one in charge, but holy hell--Sammy taking the lead was all kinds of insanely hot. When his lover’s hips ground against him, and Gabe felt the hardness beneath Sam’s tuxedo pants, his own dick began to plump and he rocked into Sam’s embrace. 

 

“If you don’t stop,” he panted between sloppy kisses, “I might just fuck you right against this tree.”

 

Sam hummed playfully.  “Or maybe I’ll take you.”

 

Groaning into Sam’s mouth, Gabe’s half-chub went totally on board with the sinful words of his boyfriend.  “Fuck, kiddo--I think I’d let you.”

 

It was Sam’s turn to grumble in frustration, and he pushed his tongue insistently into Gabe’s mouth.  It was erotic as all hell and Gabriel was getting lost in the feeling of Sam Winchester. He didn’t even fight when Sam spun them around, switching their positions as he ground Gabriel into the tree trunk.  Sam twisted, and his lips latched onto Gabe’s neck. His head fell back, giving Sam more access to the tender flesh and he actually shouted at a particularly hard suck. That was going to bruise.  _ ‘Good,’ _ Gabriel thought.  If Sam needed to stake a claim in order to feel more in control of his own emotional crap, then Gabe was all for it.

 

They were both lost in a hazy sort of lust, but there was something sharp, defined; it told Gabriel that there was an abundance of love present as well.  Sam so obviously  _ needed _ , and Gabe let him simply  _ take _ .  It was heady giving up control in this way.  Sam was the first person who Gabriel had ever trusted so wholly.

 

His fingers were tugging, pulling at Sam’s hair when Gabriel felt the loss of touch.  He blinked once and then lips were slamming into his own once more. He stayed loose, allowing Sam to overpower him once more, letting his lover work through everything.  When one of Sam’s hands strayed down and cupped Gabe through his pants, grazing the straining erection, he finally forced himself to stop. 

 

“Sammy,” Gabe broke the kiss, his voice wrecked. “As much as I’d love to follow through, and as horrible as responsibility looks on me, we have a wedding to attend.”

 

He laughed when Sam dropped his head, resting it on Gabriel’s shoulder as he groaned in frustration.  “You’re right.” Sam kissed him firmly and surprisingly chastely once more before he stepped away, putting a good few feet between them. 

 

“You don’t have to go Puritan on me, kiddo,” Gabe joked, closing the space between them again, but with less grinding.  

 

Sam looked lost and unsure of what had just transpired between them.  Gabriel knew that he had to bring his man’s focus back. He grabbed Sam’s hand, twisting their fingers together as he brought the knuckles to his lips.  

 

The romantic gesture caught Sam’s undivided attention, and Gabe counted it as a win.  Looking directly into Sam’s eyes, Gabe said, “I promised that if you still wanted to ditch this shindig in five minutes, I’d be right there with you, kiddo.  So,” he made sure that Sam knew he would back either choice. “Do you want to stay and watch our brothers get hitched on the spot we desecrated? Or do you want to head on out of this dump?  Up to you.”

 

Sam set his jaw and paused for a beat.  “Stay.”

 

“Good boy,” Gabe smiled at his boyfriend, surprisingly not lewdly.  He kissed the corner of Sam’s mouth quickly, so they wouldn’t get carried away once more. 

 

Now that they were both able to restrain themselves once more, Gabriel amused himself at the pink flush on Sam’s cheeks when he realized how hard they each were.  The dual matter of raging boners was anything but minor. “I can’t believe I just did that,” Sam muttered. “I am  _ so _ not into exhibitionism, but that’s the third time I’ve gotten carried away with you in public.”

 

“Hate to break it to you, kiddo,” Gabe laughed.  “But I think you might have a  _ little  _ thing for semi-public sex; and also that was at least the fourth time.”

 

“Fourth?” Sam looked quizzical.

 

“You dry-humping me at laser tag and outing us to our family doesn’t ring a bell?” Gabriel smirked.  “Because I remember it fondly.”

 

Sam groaned in embarrassment and ran his free hand over his face.  “I forgot about laser tag. But that was totally your fault.”

 

“What?” Gabe sputtered.  “How?”

 

“You just looked so _ hot _ ,” Sam teased him.  “Kind of like you do right now.”

 

“Are you trying to kill me?  And after I’ve been so nice to you--letting you share my bed and everything?”

 

Sam’s grin was positively evil.  “Remind me to thank you later. Profusely.”

 

“I’m running you a tab, kiddo.”

 

He was jerked to Sam’s side once more for a hot, open-mouthed kiss; and Gabe loved every second of it.  Sam was the one to end things after a few blissful seconds when he whispered, “Come on. We’re being shitty Best Men.”

 

Snorting and rolling his eyes, Gabe agreed and pulled Sam along, back the way they came.  They wound along the paths, heading back toward the wedding, swinging their linked hands, and looking thoroughly debauched.  When the festivities came into view a minute later, Gabriel was unsurprised to see Mary hurrying toward them looking frantic.  

 

“Where have you been?” she asked, her voice laced with a tinge of anxiety.  

 

Gabriel was one hundred percent certain that if he hadn’t lost it on everyone yesterday, that Mary would have commented on Sam’s rumpled tux, messy hair, and swollen lips, making him out to be the bane of everyone’s existence.  As it was, she just looked honestly concerned, as though she’d actually been worried when Sam went missing. He instinctively pulled Sam close to his side and rested a hand on his boyfriend’s lower back. He internally preened when Sam leaned into his touch, fully trusting.

 

“Sorry, mom,” Sam mumbled.  “Something...happened.”

 

“I know,” Mary said, her voice hard.  For a moment, Gabe tensed, wondering what would come out of the Winchester matriarch’s mouth, but he was surprised when she spoke again.  “One of the event staff heard you being confronted by that awful  _ girl _ , Jessica.”  The tone was clear that Mary wanted to call Jess something besides ‘girl.’  “They told me what happened, baby. Are you all right?”

 

Both Sam and Gabriel’s mouths fell open.  “Um,” Sam looked confused.

 

“I can’t believe she would say something like that,” Mary continued in a rush.  “And that prick,  _ Brady _ !”  Both his and Sam’s eyes went wide at the name she called Sam’s ex-boyfriend.  Mary made a growling sound in her throat and then looked up at Sam with genuine concern.  “I am so happy that neither one of them is in your life anymore. I don’t know why they’re here, but if you want them gone, I’ll have your father take care of them.”  The wording sounded disturbingly permanent, and Gabe decided that he really didn’t want to know.

 

He did, however, smile indulgently as he watched Sam try and process what an actual, caring, ‘mother bear’ looked like.  He tried to ignore the pang which reminded him that Sam had probably never been treated this way by Mary before. He rubbed his hand in soothing circles on Sam’s spine, while his lover chewed at his lower lip in thought.  It was cute, but also very, very sexy.

 

“It’s okay, mom,” Sam finally said.  “Gabe already offered. I’m just going to ignore them.”

 

Mary reached up, almost cupping Sam’s cheek, but stopping before contact, as though she was terrified of spooking him.  “Okay. You let us know if they become a bigger issue and need to go.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

“Are you ready?” she asked.  “Your father told Dean what happened and your brother said that we can wait a bit until you feel better.”

 

“No, it’s fine,” Sam was firm.  “We can start.”

 

Gabriel squinted, watching Sam’s face to make sure that his boyfriend was truly okay for the moment.  When all he saw was honesty, he clapped his hands together and grinned at Mary. “Let’s get those two crazy kids down the aisle, shall we?”

 

She smiled back at him.  It was somewhat subdued, but it was genuine.  He couldn’t really fault her for being wary around him--he  _ had  _ ripped into her the day before.  Deserved or not, it couldn’t have been easy to stomach.  Gabriel was certain that eventually she’d warm up to him again.  He was pretty sure that he was easy to love.

 

“Okay then,” Mary said.  “Sam, if you want to go around that way,” she pointed to a row of trimmed shrubs behind them.  “Dean is waiting up near the front. You two can get together and go stand out front with Charlie, Benny, and Jo.  Once everyone is ready, your father and I will go down the aisle and take our seats. Then Lucifer and Michael will walk Anna down,” she turned to Gabe.  “And then it’s just you and Castiel.”

 

“Sounds like a plan,” Gabe said easily.

 

“Okay,” Sam nodded.  He went to join his brother, but Gabe pulled him back for one more quick kiss.  He made sure to loudly smack his lips, making Sam huff with embarrassment. “Love ya, kiddo,” his voice was pitched low, for Sam’s ears only.

 

“Love you too, Gabriel,” Sam whispered back.

 

Gabe wasn’t ashamed to admit that he ogled Sam’s perfectly defined ass as he walked away.  That tux was cut  _ damn _ well.  When he noticed Mary watching him with an arched brow, he winked and said, “I’m a fan of your work.”

 

“Gabriel,” came a chastising voice from behind him.  Of course Mikey had something to say. When didn’t he?”

 

He smiled as he turned to face his siblings as they drew closer.  “Castiel and Crew,” he gave a sarcastic salute, earning him eyerolls from Luci and Michael.  Anna smiled in amusement, but ducked her head to hide it from their older brothers. Castiel looked bored.  “Hey, Cassie,” Gabriel addressed the Novak Groom. “Sammy told  _ me  _ to tell  _ you _ that Dean-a-licious apologized to him, so you should still marry his ass.  Because apparently we’re in high school, and no one can just fucking text each other like normal human beings.”

 

“Thank you, Gabriel,” Castiel was entirely serious, which came as no surprise to the rest of the Novaks.  They knew that if he’d told Dean he required an apology to Sam in order for the wedding to go forward, that he meant  _ exactly  _ what he said.  “I’m relieved that the love of my life isn’t still being a total assbutt.”  He looked at his siblings. “Is everyone prepared?”

 

They all nodded, taking their cues from Cas’ usually serious demeanor.  “Michael, do you have my earth?”

 

Their eldest brother attempted to control his facial features, but they all saw how hard he tried to not roll his eyes.  “Yes,” he sighed. “Hael and Junior went by mother and father’s house last week. She distracted them, and Mikey dug up a whole tupperware container’s worth of dirt for you.”

 

“God, you’re weird,” Lucifer chimed in.

 

“The Hearth Earth from one’s childhood home symbolizes--” Cas started.

 

“No one cares, baby bro,” Lucifer stopped him.  His words may have sounded harsh to an outsider, but the Novaks all knew that it was their way of showing affection.

 

“It was a bitch to get through airport security,” Michael complained.  “But yes. I have it.” From the pocket of his formal jacket, he removed a medium-sized, decorative vial, complete with a cork stopper and a colorful green ribbon around the neck.

 

“All right,” Cas seemed to relax.  Honestly, Gabriel thought that for a man about to get married, his baby bro was remarkably calm.  More so than Gabe would have been in his place. “I’m getting married.”

 

“Yeah you are,” Gabriel smiled and clapped his little brother on the back.  “Ready to say ‘I do,’ so you can get to the good part?” When Cas looked at him quizzically, Gabe said, “The honeymoon, bro.  Get your freaky week-long sexcation on, yeah?”

 

“More like, are you ready to trade away your entire sex life for spending your evenings watching the news and not getting blowjobs?” Lucifer teased.  “You know that once you put a ring on it, they won’t blow you anymore, don’t you Cas?”

 

Anna made a considering face.  “Maybe marriage wouldn’t be so bad then,” she joined in, lightly poking fun.

 

“You’re both ridiculous.”  As usual, Michael missed the point, taking them too seriously.  “Married life is fulfilling and wonderful. It enriches you.” Gabriel looked over at Luci and Anna and they all stifled giggles.  Michael didn’t notice and kept going. “And blowjobs still happen after you’re married. Why, just last night after Mikey Jr was sleeping, we locked ourselves in the bathroom and Hael--”

 

“And that’s enough of that,” Gabriel said for the second time that day.  

 

What had started off as funny, was now sort of gross.  He really hated picturing his beloved sister-in-law doing the do; and as far as he’d always been concerned, Michael didn’t have any parts--just like a Ken Doll.  He would always hold out hope that little Mikey Jr had been mixed up in a lab somewhere, and that his brother was celibate. Even Lucifer shuddered dramatically and pretended to gag.  Anna was wrinkling her nose, and Castiel’s head was cocked as he looked at all of them with narrowed eyes.

 

The strum of a harp pulled their attention as the small string ensemble that had been hired for the ceremony began.  None of them had been paying any attention to John and Mary, who had been milling around nearby, but now they saw that the Winchesters were gone.  The procession had started. “This is it, Cassafras,” Gabriel said.

 

“Castiel,” Anna said suddenly, holding them up.  She pushed through her brothers and grabbed his hands.  “I know that mother and father aren’t here, and I know that one day they will regret their actions.  I took the liberty, before we left, of asking father for a monetary gift for myself. I told him that I wanted to go to Prague with Rachel and Hannah,” she named her two closest sorority sisters.  “He believed me,” Anna’s sly smirk was reminiscent of Lucifer’s when he found a loophole that would win a big case. She opened her small, satin, clutch and pulled out a folded slip of paper. “I cut a check of what he deposited into my account.  I want you to have it. It’s for your honeymoon.”

 

Cas’ mouth was gaping like a fish, and Gabriel would have laughed at him if he wasn’t so shocked at their sister’s underhanded actions.  He couldn’t have been more proud of Anna in that moment. Her usually shy, invisible ways, were obviously a giant cover-up for the legendary Novak deviousness.  When he glanced at Lucifer and Michael, their older brothers looked both proud, yet also trying to remain disapproving. “Anna, honey,” Gabe slung an arm around her slender shoulders.  “You sneaky bitch--I fucking  _ love  _ you.”

 

Reverently, Castiel took the check and held the paper in his hands for a moment, just staring at it.  “Thank you, Anna,” he said, before placing it into the interior pocket of his midnight tux jacket.

 

“You deserve it, sweetie,” she said.  “Besides,” she scoffed. “ _ They _ should be here, giving it to you themselves.  I’m only a messenger. I’m sure father will figure it out when I never actually go overseas.”  Cas looked worried at the thought of what their father would say, but Anna was one step ahead. “Don’t even think about it.  I’m a big girl. And it’s not like he’ll do anything to me.” She wasn’t wrong. The Novaks doted on their only female child.

 

“If he wants restitution Cassie, I’ve got Anna’s back,” Lucifer stepped in, being generous for once in his life.  Gabriel tried to let some of his jealousy about Luci and Sam go. It didn’t work, despite the fact that his brother wasn’t being a complete dick at the moment.

 

“We all stand with Anna on this,” Michael said, despite having no previous knowledge of what their sister had done.

 

Tears glistened on Cas’ lashes, and Gabriel knew that it was time for him to step in as the Best Man.  “Don’t cry, you’ll get puffy,” he elbowed Cas hard enough to stop the impending flood of emotion. “Get all fucking girly later when you tell Dean-- _ after  _ everything is over, okay?”  Cas nodded. “It’s your turn gentlemen.  And lady,” he winked at Anna.

 

She moved to take her place, Michael and Lucifer flanking her, their arms all linked.  They left immediately, all of them aware that the musicians had been playing the same piece on repeat while they sorted out all of their familial bullshit.  Gabe stuck his arm out for his brother, who had finally gone pale with nerves. “I got you,” Gabriel grinned, trying to set Cassie’s mind at ease. “If you need to lean on me, that’s fine.”

 

Cas turned to him.  “Thank you again, Gabriel,” he said sincerely.  “I’ll never be able to thank you enough for standing in for our father today.  You are truly good--my favorite brother.”

 

“Cas, you’re making me blush,” Gabriel tried to deflect.  It was uncomfortable for him to watch his stoic brother be so emotional.  Well, emotional for Cas, at least.

 

“I’m being serious,” Cas said.

 

“I know,” Gabriel patted the hand that Cas was resting on his arm.  “How about we call it even? You know, since I wouldn’t have met my lucious Samshine if you weren’t marrying the Teen Dream, Dean.”

 

“He’s not a teenager.”

 

“He acts like one.”

 

“So do you.”

 

“That’s low, Cassie.”

 

“Honestly,” Cas told him.  “You would probably get along famously if you weren’t so hostile towards one another.”

 

“Fine.  I promise I’ll be nice,” Gabriel promised.

 

“Good.”

 

“For the rest of the day.”

 

“For the rest of eternity,” Cas said firmly.  “I want you to get along with my husband.”

 

“Fine,” he said again, conceding defeat.  Although, Gabriel knew that if he and Dean-o ever _did_ bury the hatchet and become besties, it would be because Gabe was trying please _Sam_.  He loved his brother, as he did for (most of) his family; but he _love_ , loved Sam--more than he could fathom.

 

Gabriel was jarred out of his thoughts as Cas took a step forward.  It was time. He schooled his features and gripped his brother’s arm tightly as they set off down the aisle.  Everyone in attendance was standing, facing them as they walked toward the metallic archway where Dean--and more importantly in Gabriel’s mind, Sam--was waiting for them.

 

The music was perfectly timed so that from the spectator’s perspective their journey wasn’t agonizingly slow and awkward, but graceful and apparently touching, if the amount of sniffles in the audience was anything to go by.  Gabriel could feel Cas gripping his arm stiffly, but there was no falter in his brother’s steps as they moved closer to Dean.  

 

From the moment they walked out, Gabriel had predatory tunnel vision; and his prey was a stunning and irresistible moose.  He assumed that Cassie was staring lovingly (creepily) at Dean, but Gabriel only had eyes for Sam. The younger man was standing just behind his brother, with the rest of the Winchester party spread out behind him, Charlie first.  Despite having seen him for most of the day, Gabe was struck at how handsome Sam looked. Perhaps his clothing was slightly wrinkled, a few errant hairs on his head may be out of place, and those tantalizing lips  _ were _ a bit swollen; but it only added to Gabriel’s burning need for his boyfriend.  Especially since he knew that Sam’s disheveled appearance was  _ all  _ due to him.  If anything, that fact alone, made Sam look even better.

 

To his mortification,  _ Gabriel _ , not Cas, was the one who faltered and tripped over  _ nothing _ as they reached their destination.  He actually had to grab onto Castiel’s shoulder to keep from completely face-planting into the grass at Dean’s feet--and Gabe wasn’t even the one who should be nervous.  For fuck’s sake, he didn’t even want to think about what he’d end up doing on his own wedding day if this was the precedent.  _ ‘His wedding.’ _   When he righted himself, ignoring Lucifer’s chuckles, and tried to respectfully place Cas’ hand into Dean’s, he almost forgot what he was supposed to say.  All he could see in his mind was Sam, in a pristine, white tux, and smiling just for him. Shit.

 

“The Novak Family is happy to give to Dean Winchester, the privilege of loving, protecting, and caring for, their youngest son.”  Fuck all. He managed to spit out his scripted line without skipping something, or throwing up. The formality of the entire thing was more Mikey’s style, not his.

 

Dean didn’t seem to notice anything, and gravely took Cas’ proffered hand.  He didn’t bother to spare a glance for Gabriel as he practically bored a hole into Castiel’s face with that intense gaze.  “I humbly, and gratefully, take on this honor.”

 

Gabriel was going to gag.  He actually was. He moved aside and took his place between Castiel and Michael.  The Winchester’s family friend, Robert Singer--who had very firmly informed Gabriel that he was to call him ‘Bobby,’ and nothing else--was officiating over the wedding.  He’d been a judge before his retirement a few years previously, but he’d kept his credentials up and was more than happy to perform the ceremony for one of his boys. Singer began to speak, welcoming everyone.  Gabriel was sure that the man’s handling of the wedding was impeccable, but he tuned out the words with hardly a thought.

 

He could see part of Sam’s profile from where he was standing behind his brother, but it wasn’t enough for Gabe.  If he had to stand here for the whole boring ceremony, he was going to appreciate the eye candy. Doing his best attempt at subtlety--which needless to say,  _ wasn’t _ his strong suit--Gabriel inched backwards until he could see most of Sam across the altar.  Their eyes met over the top of their brother’s heads in a flicker of heat.  

 

A slow smirk spread delightedly across Gabriel’s face as he watched Sam squirm and shoot self-conscious glances at the table the grooms were standing before.  The table that Gabriel had bent and fucked him over. As amusing as it was watching Sam unravel, Gabriel forced himself to glance away and give the kid time to compose himself without Gabe’s suggestive looks. 

 

By the time that Dean and Cas were exchanging their vows, and Gabriel finally chanced another look, the only sign of Sam’s earlier discomfort was the light blush staining his cheeks.  It was fucking adorable, and Gabriel soaked in the bewitching sight. He wanted to look at this man for the rest of his life.

 

Dean was promising to love and cherish Castiel, and the words were patently affecting Sam.  Once more, their eyes locked and Gabe let the promises of their brother’s vows wash over him.  The vision of Sam, in that white suit, saying the same words to  _ him  _ came rushing back with forceful clarity.  Sam was watching him, with nothing but pure affection--and maybe even adoration--on his handsome face. 

 

As Gabriel took in all of the hope flowing from Sam, his breath was sharply punched out of him.  The idea that he wanted this—forever—with Sam, was all that he could think about. When he’d headed to the airport that morning, he’d never imagined that he’d run into the love of his life.  But here they were, four days later, and Gabriel knew that he was desperately, and completely in love. Sam gave him a soft smile from the other side of the archway, and Gabriel vowed, then and there, that one day, he was going to marry Sam Winchester. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMC, Jess and Brady are the worst.  
> But Gabriel is the best.


	13. Bisexual Doesn't Mean Easy, You Dick!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Sam is propositioned more than once, Michael Junior tells it like it is, and Gabriel learns that his boyfriend is hot when he’s angry...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for Blackmail.  
> Warning for Penguins with Fangs.

No one could say that Castiel and Dean didn’t know how to throw a party. 

 

Despite all of the hang-ups and stumbles on the way to the altar, The Mister Winchesters were finally married, and all that was left to do was celebrate.  Sam had heard from Charlie that the classical music at the ceremony had been all Mary’s idea. Apparently, Castiel and Dean had caved to keep her happy, as long as they were allowed their own music for the reception.  He was glad that they had won that battle, since he vastly preferred Dean’s musical taste over his mother’s.

 

At least until Taylor Swift came on.

 

To Sam’s horror, Gabriel was happily bopping along to the pop tune, occasionally bumping his hips into Sam’s thigh as he mouthed along with the words.  “You  _ know _ this song?” Sam sputtered.  He shook his head, as though clearing cobwebs.  “Scratch that--obviously you know it.” He tried again, “You  _ like  _ this song?”

 

“It’s catchy,” Gabriel said, stopping his lip-sync performance long enough to answer.  “Makes me want to move, Samalicious.”

 

“This is embarrassing,” Sam watched Gabe wiggle in a circle around him.  “I wonder why Cas picked this?”

 

Gabriel immediately paused directly in front of Sam and laughed.  “Cassie? No way,” Gabriel grinned. “He’s more of a Creedence kind of guy.  This all the Lean, Mean, Dean’s choice.”

 

“No way,” Sam insisted.  He knew his brother, and Dean wouldn’t be caught dead listening to anything in the Top Forty.

 

“‘Fraid so,” Charlie appeared next to them, sipping on some sort of bright green concoction.  When Sam turned to her with a questioning look, she shrugged sheepishly. “You weren’t really around for Dean’s ‘Gay Awakening,’” she told him.  “And I’m not sure if you know this, but most gay dance clubs play songs that are more...upbeat and fun--and have a good beat. Dean’s style is more, rock anthems and,” she paused for a beat, “you know, stripper music.”

 

Sam thought back to the year Dean turned thirteen and played Warrent’s ‘Cherry Pie,’ on repeat for nine months.  “You’re not wrong,” he admitted. “So Dean’s basically changed his taste to be more pubescent?”

 

A fist flew out and socked his left pectoral.  “Watch it, kiddo,” Gabriel’s warning was teasing.  “I happen to like this pubescent music too.”

 

“If we get married are you going to insist on the Backstreet Boys at our reception?” 

 

“Probably.”

 

“You two are so fracking adorable that I’m going to puke,” Charlie cooed.  “Sounds like it’s getting serious if we’re already talking weddings.”

 

“It’s a joke, Charlie,” Sam said, knowing full well that he was lying to her.

 

“I know.”  Charlie’s tone told Sam that she was well aware that he was a big, fat, fibber.  “Well, my dudes,” she chirped. “I’m out--one of Cas’ coworkers looks like she needs to be swept off her feet, and I am just the lesbian to do it.”

 

Sam snorted in amusement.  “Happy hunting,” he called after her.

 

Three amusing minutes passed with Gabriel dancing around in front of him, singing along with--in Sam’s opinion--the rather ridiculous lyrics.  At least Gabe had a fantastic, and very sexy, singing voice. The dancing was something to be desired. Gabe kept trying to act sultry, but he just looked borderline insane.  He had to admit that it was downright hilarious. Just as Gabriel popped up on his toes and smacked a fast kiss to Sam’s cheek before attempting to dangle off of him while gyrating, they were interrupted.

 

“Are you well, Gabriel?” Sam turned toward the gravelly voice to face his new brother-in-law, while his own boyfriend looked to be dry-humping his thigh.  He managed to keep himself steady enough to attempt taking a sip of his drink.

 

“‘Course, why?” Gabe kept dancing.

 

“You look like you’re seizing,” Cas said seriously.

 

Gabriel immediately stopped gyrating and glared, while Sam choked on his whiskey, spitting the mouthful back into the glass.  Dean snickered into his fist, hovering behind Cas’ shoulder.

 

“Sam.”  He looked up to find that Cas was standing a little too close for comfort, watching him earnestly.

 

“Yeah, Cas,” Sam said, his smile just a tad strained.  “Congratulations, again.”

 

“Thank you.”  Cas stared at him.  For a really long time.  Even Gabe seemed to be looking at his younger brother oddly.  Although, more likely, he was still pouting cutely. “I wanted to apologize about my actions for the last few days.  I should have insisted that everyone treated you with more respect, and for that I am truly sorry.”

 

“Um, okay?” Sam said after an uncomfortable silence.  “Thanks. It’s okay, Cas.”

 

Instead of responding verbally, changing the subject, or even just taking a drink of his champagne, Cas leaned in, encroaching on Sam’s personal space even further.  And he was still silent. Sam hadn’t been so creeped out since he watched ‘It’ on television when he was a kid.

 

Eventually, Dean seemed to take pity on his slightly awkward husband, and stepped closer, smiling tightly at Sam.  “Charlie said you liked the music, Sam.”

 

He slumped and rolled his eyes before he shot his brother a bitchface.  “It’s awesome, Dean. I think my ears might bleed soon.”

 

Dean laughed and waved his hand.  “You love it.”

 

“I, for one,  _ adore  _ the choices, Chip’n’Dale,” Gabriel grinned.  “Gives me a chance to show off my moves.”

 

“I believe that Cas already gave his  _ incredibly accurate  _ assessment of your dance skills, Psy,” Dean laughed.  Gabriel childishly stuck out his tongue at him, but both men were smiling.

 

“Why did you decide to call them cartoon squirrels?” Sam couldn’t stop himself from asking.

 

Before Gabriel could answer, Cas spoke up.  “Actually, Sam, the Rescue Rangers were anthropomorphic chipmunks, not squirrels.”  He turned to Gabriel. “And they were brothers, so I’m not sure what you were implying.”

 

Gabriel patted Cas on the shoulder, as though he was imparting great wisdom.  “I’m sure that someone out there ships them anyway.”

 

“I don’t understand that reference.”

 

“Neither do I,” Dean’s nose was wrinkled and he looked borderline disturbed.  He was apparently uncomfortable enough to change the subject, because he turned to Sam and asked, “You okay?  I know some shit went down earlier. Is it taken care of? Or,” Dean trailed off. At first, Sam thought that maybe he was waiting for a response, but it seemed as though Dean had simply become distracted by Cas’ eyes, because they were now staring at each other without blinking.

 

However, now that the whole mess had been put out in the open, Sam knew that he’d have to acknowledge the entire blowup with Jess and Brady.  “I’m fine,” Sam lied. “I’m just dealing with  _ Jess  _ and  _ Brady _ .”  He emphasized their names so that Dean would pick up on it through the haze of basking in his new husband.  “Like I really needed any more exes this weekend.”

 

“About that,” Cas looked guilty as he tried to meet Sam’s eyes and failed.  “This is my fault,” he said. “I invited her.”

 

“What?” Sam was confused. How did  _ Cas _ know Jess?  “Why?”

 

“My deepest apologies,” Cas rumbled. “Again.”  He beseeched Sam with his look, and for the first time, Sam understood what everyone meant when they bitched about his ‘puppy eyes.’  “Jessica was my best friend growing up. She lived down the street from us. The Moores actually took me in for the last few months of high school after my parents disowned me.  They’re here somewhere as well.”

 

Sam didn’t want to hear this. He didn’t want his opinion of Jess altered now. Not like this. He’d come to terms with the fact that while she must be decent somewhere deep down, it didn’t mean that he had to forgive her for how she’d discarded him. 

 

“I wasn’t even aware that you two had dated until she asked if you would be attending the wedding,” Castiel said. “Dean elaborated on your history as well.  I don’t understand how she could have changed so drastically. The friend that I knew hated cheating.”

 

“Well, she obviously got over her hang-ups about that,” Gabe snorted. 

 

“Obviously,” Castiel agreed. 

 

All of the talking, apologizing and especially the excuses were making everything even worse.  Sam raked a hand over his face, frustrated. “Okay, fine. But why’d you let it get sprung on me?”  He turned to Dean. “Why wouldn’t  _ you _ tell me that she and Brady would be here?”

 

“I didn’t know who her Plus One was,” Cas responded. 

 

Dean cut him off.  “I  _ tried  _ to tell you.”

 

“When?” Sam shot back, confident that Dean was just trying to cover his own ass. 

 

“The first night you got here,” Dean told him. “The four of us went out to dinner and she got brought up. I was about to tell you, but Shortstack changed the subject and you didn’t seem to want to talk about her anymore.”  He shrugged, as though his explanation was sufficient. 

 

Sam goggled at his brother.  Gabriel was the one who spoke up though, voicing the words rushing unbidden to the front of Sam’s tongue.  “Didn’t strain yourself  _ too _ much on that, did ya, Deaney-Weenie.”  Dean glowered at the childish nickname, but didn’t comment.

 

“Look, I’m sorry you got blindsided by those heavy-weight douchnozzles,” Dean said.  “But what did you expect, Sammy? I mean, they cheated on you with each other. It’s not like you still thought they were nice people.”  Dean took a large swallow of his drink and then looked around at the three glaring faces surrounding him. “What?”

 

“Do we need another explanation on how to treat Sam?” Gabriel’s eyes flashed threateningly.

 

“Oh,” Dean stammered.  He looked at Cas, but clearly found no support there, as his new husband was also looking peevish at his insensitive words.  “Uh, no. We’re good on that. Sorry, Sammy. I’m sorry,” he said, sounding remorseful. “They shouldn’t have said that shit to you.  They’re fucking assholes, and you don’t deserve that. I’m really sorry,” Dean repeated.

 

“If I’d known that they’d treat you that way, I wouldn’t have extended an invitation,” Cas said sadly.  “I don’t condone their actions, friend or no. I hope you know how sincerely apologetic I am over this whole situation.”

 

“Cas,” Sam stopped the man from continuing to verbally grovel, placing a hand on his brother-in-law’s shoulder.  “It’s fine, man. I survived--thanks to Gabe--and we’re just going to do our best to avoid them for the rest of the night.”

 

“That’s probably for the best,” Cas agreed.

 

“Boys.”  They all turned as John Winchester came up behind them.  “Sorry to break up the coffee klatch, but Mary wanted me to remind you two to not neglect the rest of your guests,” he addressed the grooms.  “You need to make the rounds, not gossip in the corner with your brothers.” John pulled out a crisp piece of paper and consulted it. “You also need to be in place for your first dance in T-Minus one hundred and twenty-seven seconds.”

 

Why his father couldn’t have just said, ‘two minutes,’ was beyond Sam.  Maybe he would never understand his family.  

 

“Right, okay,” Dean told their father before turning back to Sam.  “You good?”

 

“I’m great, Dean,” Sam said, trying to sound chipper enough to send them on their way.  He was more than ready for this entire conversation to be finished.

 

John hustled Dean and Castiel away, and Sam felt Gabriel’s arms slip comfortably around him.  “That was...weird,” Sam finally said.

 

“Yeah, Cas is an odd duck,” Gabriel said fondly.  “He grows on you though.”

 

One of Gabriel’s cousins, a wiry blonde named Balthazar, had grabbed the microphone and was announcing the couple’s first dance.  The opening strains of Queen’s, ‘You’re My Best Friend,’ came to life, drawing everyone’s attention to the mostly empty dance floor.  The only person there, was Castiel. His tuxedo was still as perfect as it had been that morning, though his hair was wild.  

 

As the song began, Dean walked slowly up to his husband and took his hands.  Unlike Cas, Dean no longer had a jacket, and his bowtie was undone, hanging loosely around his neck--but his hair was perfect.  The juxtaposition of the sight was jarring, a little haunting, and absolutely gorgeous.

 

Sam was so entranced by the feel of Gabriel’s hand in his own, and the vision of his brother looking so happy, that he didn’t realize the difference in the song.  Gabriel did. “This isn’t Queen,” Gabe said softly, leaning in.

 

He listened to the lyrics, being ground out in a rough and smoky baritone, and he dipped his head and chuckled when it finally hit him.  “It’s Dean,” he told his boyfriend. “He must have recorded himself singing their song.”

 

Gabriel let out a soft, low, whistle.  “That is like,  _ epic,  _ romance level.”

 

“Yeah,” Sam agreed.

 

There was a pause before Gabe said, “I don’t think I’ll be able to pull shit like that off.”

 

“Don’t worry,” Sam whispered back.  “I’m not great at that stuff either.”

 

“We can practice on each other,” Gabriel suggested.  When Sam turned to look at him, there was an open, hopeful look on the shorter man’s face.  It was quite possibly Gabe’s cutest expression yet.  

 

“I look forward to a lot of trial and error,” Sam said.  “You know,” he took on a teasing tone, despite the fact that he was completely serious.  “We should probably practice the kinky stuff too.” It wiped the innocent look off of Gabriel’s face in an instant.

 

“Oh, absolutely.  Practice makes perfect,” Gabriel said immediately.  “Wanna start right now? The men’s room has a lock on it.”  The lascivious wiggle of Gabe’s eyebrows had Sam biting back a giggle.

 

“You have an unhealthy obsession with public bathrooms,” Sam chastised his lover with a grin. He gave a quick peck to Gabe’s lips and said, “I could use a refill.”

 

Gabriel waved his own, mostly full glass near Sam’s face. “I’m still golden.”  He began to bounce around, apparently ‘dancing’ once more at Sam’s side.

 

It figured. During the hors d'oeuvres hour while Dean and Castiel were taking their photographs, Sam and Gabriel had been given wine, served by waitstaff circling among the guests. During dinner, each table was given their own server to keep everyone’s glasses full—even when the requests were for ridiculous things such as mai tais (Gabriel).  Once that had ended, Gabriel offered to grab the first round, making it now Sam’s turn. He didn’t mind in the least; and he was absolutely  _ not  _ surprised to find his lover was nursing his giant tropical concoction after they’d been plied with alcohol for the last few hours. 

 

“Don’t dance off into the sunset without me,” Sam teased.

 

“As if I could.”

 

Gabriel grinned as he rocked his hips, looking a little too much like he was working an invisible pole.  It was sort of like a car crash, but a little more erotic. Sam internally shuddered. “All right. I’ll be back in a minute.”

 

“I will count the seconds until you return,” Gabriel trilled cheerfully.  He then performed a little shimmy, moving out toward the dance floor, which was now writhing with bodies once more.

 

Sam shook his head fondly as he watched Gabriel latch on to Charlie, who wasn’t any better at dancing than he was.  The two of them did a weird, complicated handshake, before they both began to sort of convulse to the music.

 

He moved through the guests across the floor toward the bar he’d seen earlier.  As he walked, Sam couldn’t help but steal glances around the whole barn, taking in the setting. He’d been beyond impressed the previous day when he’d finally seen the barn.  Especially by the intricate flooring that looked like polished marble. Cas had informed him that it was actually stamped concrete, which Sam found interesting. The elegant looking—yet durable—floor was such a stark contrast with the rough, hewn wood of the rest of the barn, as well as the large iron chandeliers sprinkled throughout the space. Sam found the whole set up to be quite pleasing.

 

Obviously, he’d so been consumed in his surroundings that he wasn’t paying attention to where he was going.  Sam collided with someone and he automatically spun to brace himself and apologize. His hand was on the other man’s bicep before he’d looked to see who he had run into.  “If you wanted to press up against me, you could have asked me to dance,” Lucifer was smirking at him. “Or you could have come up with another, more interesting, suggestion.”

 

Sam pulled his hand away as though burned.  “Sorry,” he said in a clipped tone. Just because he didn’t want to deal with his flirtatious ex-fling, didn’t mean that he wasn’t going to try and be polite--especially when Lucifer was also his boss who could easily ruin him.  Sam had worked too hard, and sacrificed too much, for his career to be cut short simply because he didn’t remember basic manners.

 

What he wasn’t expecting, was for Lucifer to grab his arm and steer him away from the crowd.  Sam was honestly so surprised, that he allowed it happen with no resistance. “Such a tease, Sam,” his boss said as he boxed Sam into a corner.  “Don’t think that I haven’t noticed you watching me. Licking your lips and reminding me what you can do with that pretty mouth of yours.”

 

“Woah!  What?” Sam moved to step away, yanking his arm away from Lucifer.  Yeah, that wasn’t happening. Sam knew when it was time to  _ stop  _ being cordial--and that time was  _ now _ .

 

“Don’t act offended,” Lucifer continued.  He pitched his voice low and ran a single finger lightly down Sam’s cheek.  “I remember how eager you were, getting on your knees for me. Wouldn’t you like to do that again, Sam?  I know that there’s no way you can actually be fulfilled with my brother attending to your needs. He’s so...limited.”  

 

Sam felt something burn in his chest and he opened his mouth to tell Lucifer where to shove it, but his persistent boss wouldn’t quit.  “I would make sure you were always satisfied, my pet.” Lucifer was leaning in close to him, purring into Sam’s ear. “You let me do what I wanted to you that night, and you loved it.  So easy to command. Such a dirty slut, Sam. I could make you so happy. You know that you want me to take you somewhere now and fuck you until you scream, don’t you Sam?”

 

“Fuck no!” Sam finally broke out of his stupor and flung himself backwards.  “What happened between us was not only a massive mistake--but I was so hammered, I hardly knew what I was doing.  There’s no way I would have slept with you sober. It is absolutely  _ not  _ happening--ever again.”  Sam glared down at Lucifer, daring the shorter blonde to proposition him again.

 

An iron hand curled around Sam’s wrist, painfully, and he was jerked forward toward Lucifer.  His ex got right into Sam’s face, his mouth twisted in a snarl. “Listen here you little bitch,” Lucifer snapped quietly, so only Sam would hear him.  “I don’t particularly care about you either way. I just want to fuck with my brother’s head, and right now, the easiest way to get to Gabriel is through you.  You’re a pawn, Sam.” Lucifer smiled, and it was vaguely terrifying. “Here’s how it’s going to go. At some point this weekend, you’re going to come to me. I don’t care if you blow me or bend over for my dick--you’re going to do one or the other--and I’ll find a way to make sure that Gabriel finds out about it.  It’s going to crush him, and I find that absolutely gorgeous.”

 

Sam’s stomach rolled and he swallowed thickly.  “No.” He was firm. He was resolute. He was fucking furious.  If Lucifer wasn’t his boss, he’d punch the arrogant asshole--never mind propriety, or that they were in the middle of Dean’s wedding reception.  Sam figured Dean would back him up on that move.

 

“You don’t get to say no, Sam,” Lucifer stepped away from him, letting go of Sam’s wrist.  “It’s simple. If you don’t--then come Monday morning, you won’t have a job  _ or  _ references.  I’ll get you blacklisted in, not only California, but any state where I have an acquaintance.  I think I could get all fifty if I really put my mind to it; probably even a few other countries too.  I’m pretty sure one of my old law professors lives in Canada now.”  

 

Lucifer’s twisted grin was making Sam want to vomit.  Fuck, fuck, fuck. What was he going to do? He couldn’t lose his job.  Sam had sweat, bled, and wept for that fucking job. And he wasn’t going to kid himself--Lucifer could  _ absolutely  _ follow through on his threat.  Sam wouldn’t be able to get a job for an ambulance chaser in Buford, Wyoming!  “Think about it, my darling little Sammy. I’m sure that you’ll come to the right decision.”  Lucifer turned to walk away, and Sam felt himself slump. “Oh,” Lucifer turned back, with a single finger raised.  “I almost forgot. If you mention this to Gabriel, then you can kiss your job goodbye, whether or not you sleep with me.”

 

And then he was really gone, and Sam honestly wanted to sob.  What the fuck was he going to do? If he’d thought that he’d wanted a drink earlier, then now he  _ needed  _ one.  His fingers were gripped around his empty glass so tight that he was surprised it hadn’t shattered.  Fuck. This was six shades of fucking horrible and Sam wasn’t sure he could handle much more before he really did snap, like the chicks who sang ‘The Cell Block Tango.’  That showed how close he was to the edge, because Brady was the one who’d forced all the musical soundtracks on him, and Sam made it a point to not recall any of it. If he was mentally making musical theatre references, then he was already headed down the path of destructive thinking.  Fuck--times a hundred!

 

He felt as though he were moving through molasses.  “Sam.” He turned to the sound of his name. Speak of the Devil.  Brady was sauntering up to him, his steps uneven. Only someone who’d spent enough time with man when he was plastered would be able to tell--Brady was well on his way to being completely drunk.  “What?” Sam sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

 

Brady hummed, his body swaying almost imperceptibly.  “You know that I was teasing before, Winchester,” Brady leaned in, giving Sam a whiff of the Jack Daniel’s on his breath. “Jess was right—you are looking  _ very  _ good.”

 

Sam wished that he was actually surprised at his former lover’s words.  “Are you drunk, Brady?” he asked rhetorically, already knowing that Brady would lie to him.

 

“Not at all,” Brady stepped closer to him, snaking a hand around Sam’s forearm and decidedly sighing into his ear.  “I’ve had _ just _ the right amount.”

 

He was much too close and Sam’s muscles went rigid.  Once again, he was beyond uncomfortable, and all he wanted was for Brady to go away.  “What do you want?” Sam growled, hoping to figure out Brady’s game so he could slip away and find Gabriel.

 

“You--on all fours for me--while Jess takes you from behind,” Brady blew on Sam’s ear.  “We brought all of our toys in case you were having a dry spell and wanted to play. She told me how much you loved when she used the neon pink strap-on.”

 

Sam froze in shock.  This absolutely could  _ not  _ be happening.  Again. “What?”

 

* * *

 

At first, Gabriel didn’t notice anything off.  Sam had left to get another drink, but Gabe wasn’t exactly keeping tabs on the kid.  Dancing with Charlie took a lot of focus, mostly because both of them had tendencies to crash into each other, as well as those unfortunate enough to be nearby.  Plus, it was fucking fun--and Gabriel needed some of that. He’d playfully suggested some illicit sex, but hadn’t been shocked when Sam laughed it off. Knowing that he was going to have to wait until they got back to their room, much later, Gabe needed a way to blow off a little steam.  Dancing like a manic with a lesbian was just what the doctor ordered.

 

It occurred to him that Sam still hadn’t returned, and that it had been far too long for simply getting a new cocktail.  Most likely Sam was trying to avoid the dance floor. Between his and Charlie’s flailing arms, along with Gabe’s cousin, Balthazar’s penchant to grope, it was dangerous out here.  But that absolutely would  _ not  _ do.  

 

Since Gabriel had the good fortune to snag a beautiful man of his own before the actual wedding day, he wasn’t going to have to spend the night hitting on random people in the hopes someone would sleep with him. The feeling of being part of a couple—with a guaranteed roll in the hay after the festivities—was new for him.  Though, Gabe had to admit that he liked it. He was determined to have the full ‘Sickly Sweet Couple at a Wedding’ Experience, and that included slow dancing with his boyfriend. 

 

He hopped up on his tiptoes as he moved to the music, grabbing Charlie’s shoulders to steady himself. Since that morning, the feisty redhead had moved mountains to get back into their good graces, and Gabriel found that he honestly liked her very much. Charlie was fun.  And didn’t make fun of his dancing, which was a bonus. 

 

After quickly scanning the room without spotting Sam towering above people, Gabriel pulled Charlie closed and screamed, “I’m gonna take a break,” into her ear. She nodded and shot him a thumbs up before continuing to do The Sprinkler. 

 

He bounced out of the crowd of dancing bodies and collapsed into an empty chair at a seemingly vacant table.  “Hello, Uncle Gabriel.”

 

Apparently it wasn’t all that vacant.  Gabe spun around to face his nephew and his mouth dropped open.  Michael Junior had a small penknife and was happily carving away at the rough barnwood table.  He’d managed to create a scene involving a penguin and what looked like a shark having a swordfight.  It wasn’t that bad either, considering the medium that the kid was working with. “Mikey? Where’d you get that knife?”

 

The child shrugged, not even looking up from where he was adding pointed teeth to the penguin for some ungodly reason.  “Uncle Lucifer gave it to me.”

 

“Of fucking course he did,” Gabe muttered as he began to look for Micheal or Hael.  Apparently  _ no one  _ that Gabriel needed was around any more.  Maybe they’d all went out back for one of the ‘grown-up sharing parties,’ that his precocious nephew had blabbed about.  Gabe forced down a shudder at that thought. Gabriel was pretty sure that the image would render him unable to get hard for the rest of his life.  Wait, scratch that! He’d finally managed to find someone that he was looking for--Sam.   

 

His boyfriend was off to the side of the large open barn.  Sam was leaning against one of the circular support beams, and he was talking to someone who had their back to Gabriel.  Gabe glanced over at his nephew and gave up the whole ‘discipline’ thing as a lost cause. Sue him, he had a short attention span, and he didn’t like being the voice of reason.  Plus, the view he had of Sam, floppy hair falling into his face, was fucking breathtaking. “Uncle Gabriel got lucky with that one, didn’t he, Mikey?”

 

It was completely rhetorical, but he wasn’t too surprised when his nephew replied.  “Yes, you did,” Michael Jr agreed. “Is Mr. Sam going to be my new uncle too? Father said that you were acting oddly about Mr. Sam, and that you have ideas inside your other brain.”  

 

Gabriel was glad that he wasn’t drinking anything because he would have flat out spit all over his nephew at the words.  “What?”

 

“Do I have two brains as well?” The questioning eyes of a seven year old were boring into him and Gabe did  _ not  _ like it.  “Do you think I could train one to think about fun things while I’m bored in math class?”

 

Gabriel decided to just embrace the horror show.  Besides, Hael and Mikey could absolutely deal with whatever the fallout was since they’d obviously wandered off and let their kid destroy property with a freaking  _ knife _ !  He pretended to think about his nephew’s question for a moment before he said, ‘You know, kid--I’m sure you could.  And I bet whatever your other brain comes up with would be a lot better than your homework.”

 

“That won’t be hard,” Michael Jr. turned back to his artistry.

 

He had to bite down on his tongue to not snicker at the kid’s obliviousness at his hilarious word choice.  “All right, buddy,” Gabriel went to stand. “You have fun with your...nice....creatures.” He had no idea what to say about his nephew’s wood carvings.  “Uncle Gabe has to go capture a moose.”

 

“You’re talking about Mr. Sam,” Mikey Jr. looked up at him.  When Gabriel smiled and nodded, his nephew continued, turning back to his artwork as he spoke.  “That’s good. I’m sure he and Miss Jessica will want you to join them.”

 

Gabriel’s smile was wiped away in a split second.  “What? Did Miss Jessica say something?” Mikey Jr. had met the woman a few times since she’d been a friend of the family, but he didn’t know her all that well.  Even if he wasn’t a little kid, Michael Jr. didn’t know Jess enough to realize what a horrible person she actually was.

 

Mikey shrugged, digging into the wood with his tiny blade.  “She was talking to her friend. They said they were going to have a sharing party with Mr. Sam, just like mother and father do.”

 

“Fuck!”  Gabriel was on his feet.  He registered a moment later what he’d said, because he looked down at his nephew.  “Don’t repeat that word,” he instructed.

 

Michael Jr. shrugged, not even glancing up.  “Okay.”

 

“Thanks, buddy.”  He took off through the guests without a word.  What the fuck were those two playing at? They show up and accost Sam, cutting him deeply with their words and sickening displays, and then they announce—loud enough for a kid to notice—that they’re going to try and pull him for a threesome?  No fucking way.

He was halfway to Sam when he stopped and tried to gulp in some deep breaths.  Gabriel knew that he needed to cool down and approach this with a level head. At the very least, he couldn’t just walk up to Brady and sock him in the jaw.  It was Cassie’s wedding and Gabe had to do his best not to cause a scene and embarrass his little brother.

 

Once he didn’t feel as though he would swoop in, fists flying, Gabriel began to walk toward his boyfriend once more.  Even from a distance, he could tell that Sam was uncomfortable. He looked pale and his bright hazel eyes were bordering on wild.  Gabe narrowed his eyes as he approached. Sam looked much to upset for simply dealing with a flirtatious ex; and now Gabriel was wondering what Brady had said to put Sam so on edge. Nothing good, that was certain. 

 

“Hey boys,” Gabriel’s voice was cold as he slid his arm around Sam’s waist and tugged his tall boyfriend to his side.  “What are we talking about?”

 

Brady squared his jaw and glared down at Gabe. It wasn’t intimidating in the least and Gabe had to force himself not to burst out laughing.  “This is a private conversation.”

 

“We aren’t  _ having  _ this conversation, Brady,” Sam said through his teeth.

 

“Yes, we are,” Brady insisted.  Gabriel could hear the slight slur in the man’s voice, but he seemed to be holding himself together enough to mostly pass for sober to an onlooker.  “Come on, Winchester--you know you’re interested.”

 

“No, actually,” Sam said.  “I’m the opposite of interested.  You and Jess--disgust me.”

 

“You don’t mean that.”

 

“Yes, he does,” Gabriel broke in.  He made sure to rub his palm along Sam’s back in comforting circles, to show his lover that he was here and that everything would be just fine.

 

Brady listed, shuffling his feet as he opened his mouth, presumably to continue his failing proposition, when he was interrupted by Jess.  She didn’t seem to realize that her lover was tanking, and shot Sam a dazzling smile. It made Gabriel want to claw her damn eyes out of her skull.  “Hey baby, did you ask him?” Jess pressed a sloppy kiss to Brady’s cheek as he nodded. “So, Sam,” she said, completely ignoring Gabe as she broke into the conversation.  “What do you think? 

 

“Of joining you two?  No thanks.”  

 

So little Mikey Jr.  _ had  _ heard correctly.  Those two pathetic pieces of drunk trash thought they could poach?  From  _ Gabriel _ ?  He was about to rather publicly and heatedly stake his claim, but Sam beat him to it.  His gorgeous boyfriend kept speaking, and in Gabriel’s opinion—the kid didn’t need any help at all. 

 

“I’m pretty sure I’ve experienced all that either of you have to offer, and let’s be honest—it wasn’t that great in the first place.”

 

Jess’ lips parted in indignation and even Brady’s face contorted through the haze of liquor at the insult.  Sam just plowed forward. “Although, now I’m wondering how all of this works for you. Is it simply that you can’t satisfy each other, and are resorting to playmates so that you don’t realize how selfish and boring your sex life is?

 

“It’s not boring,” Brady broke in, his voice breaking just a touch. 

 

“Far from it,” Jess added. 

 

“See, I’m not buying that,” Sam told them.  He spared a quick glance down as he leaned into Gabe’s side. “Both of you always wanted something more. You were never satisfied with just me.”  Sam gestured between the couple. “Exhibit A—you cheated on me. With each other.” Sam turned to Gabriel after that. “Babe, did I tell you that the night I found out about them, it was because my professor got food poisoning and cancelled my last lecture. I came home early and found my girlfriend bouncing on my ex-boyfriend’s johnson like a pogo stick. On. My. Favorite. Sheets.”

 

Gabriel decided to play along with his lover.  If he could help Sam get any semblance of closure out of this, then he would move mountains.  “Didn’t know about the sheets,” Gabe said casually. He shook his head and tsked. “Miss Jessica,” Gabriel shook his finger at her in a mockery of chastisement. “You should know better than to befoul a man’s favorite sheets.”

 

Sam’s laugh held no mirth. “Nah,” he said. “That was all you, wasn’t it Brady?  That little stunt had your touch  _ all  _ over it.  What?” Sam stared the other man down. “Was stealing my girlfriend not enough?”

 

“No it wasn’t, Winchester,” Brady snarled. “After what  _ you  _ did to  _ me _ ?”

 

“I didn’t do  _ anything  _ to you, Brady.”

 

“You never made time for me!” Brady’s tone was high-pitched.  “We  _ lived  _ together and I barely saw you. All you wanted to do was study. You’d never come out to parties with me, and then you kicked me out!”

 

Sam looked flabbergasted. “Wow.  So  _ that’s _ your side of things?  Just. Wow.” He nodded for a moment as though absorbing Brady’s words before speaking. “First off, you never saw me because I was going to class and studying, and you were busy doing lines with the business majors down the hall.  Secondly, I  _ had _ to study all the time because, unlike you, I was on scholarship and couldn’t afford to lose it. Whenever I  _ was _ home, you were either passed out, or trying to get me to go to some sort of party where I’m sure there would be plenty of illicit substances that I had no desire to be around. And I didn’t kick you out, you screamed at me for being ‘lame as fuck,’ if I recall.  Then you packed  _ your  _ clothes in  _ my _ bag, went to live with Rebecca and Zach, and moved all your stuff—and some of mine—out while I was in class.”

 

Brady scoffed. “You’re still an asshole, aren’t you, Winchester?”

 

“Apparently,” Sam looked as though he was still trying to process that he was ‘The Bad Guy’ in Brady’s mind.  “Although, if I’m such an asshole and ‘bad in bed’ according to you,” he looked at Jess, “then why are you trying to have a three-way with me?”

 

“We just thought that it might be fun,” Jess answered. 

 

“For old time’s sake,” Brady swayed next to her. 

 

“You don’t have to be such a massive dick about it,” Jess said. 

 

“Yeah, actually, I kind of do.”  

 

Gabriel unconsciously patted Sam’s hip, Offering comfort and support for wherever he wanted to go with this.  He knew the kid had to get it out of his system in order to fully move on, and Gabriel wasn’t about to stand in the way of two such deserving people getting a verbal beat down. He loved it when karma came around. 

 

“So I’m curious how all of this works for you,” Sam’s eyes were hard. “Now that you’re after me again, am  _ I  _ the sloppy seconds, or is that Brady,” his gaze slid briefly to his ex-boyfriend.  “At first I was really surprised that you two were still together, but it actually makes a lot of sense. You’re both materialistic, self-absorbed, low-lives, with no regards for someone’s perfectly soft sheets— _ of course _ you’re perfect for each other!”

 

“What the h—“

 

“I have to admit that I’m honestly  _ thankful _ that you aren’t inflicting yourselves on others. It’s so kind of you two to keep to one another so that that your toxicity doesn’t bleed out and ruin someone else’s life,” Sam smiled, almost kindly, his voice level and friendly. “Good for you.”

 

Her eyes narrowed. “You fucker,” she spat. 

 

“Oh, Jess,” Sam gave her a pitying look. “I’ve been called worse things by much better people than you.”

 

Gabriel wanted to slow clap. Not only was it sadly true, it was a hell of a classy way to call that bitch out like the absolute horror show that she was.  Damn, Sammy was sexy like this!

 

“Now,” Sam smiled at them, as though he hadn’t just ripped them to pieces. “Enjoy the reception. I hope that the rest of your evening is as wonderful and pleasant as you are.”

 

At that, Sam turned, leaving his shocked exes staring after him, and Gabe was not surprised that his dick sprang to life at the mic drop that he’d just witnessed.  Gabriel smiled all sickly sweet at Jess and Brady, flipping them both off before he scampered after Sam; because he was petty like that,  _ and _ they fucking deserved it.

 

He caught up to Sam, who had almost bolted toward the back of the large barn, away from the other revelers.  Sam was leaning against the rough, wooden wall, and while his breathing was measured, his face was grey and his fingers were twitching.  Gabriel positioned himself directly in front of Sam, slightly boxing the taller man in. His hands rested lightly on Sam’s waist and he looked up at his boyfriend with a raised eyebrow.

 

“Wow,” Gabriel drew out the word. “Kiddo—I gotta say,  _ that _ was  _ all _ manner of incredibly hot!  Damn!”

 

Sam was absently shaking his head and running his hands down his ashen face.  “Oh, my  _ fuck _ !”  He turned to Gabriel who was trying not to let his impromptu erection dictate his actions. Yeah, his boy was sexy as anything when he went all masterful like that—and the peek of a cruel streak just made him more appealing—but he was also clearly upset, and Gabriel knew that he had to be there for Sam. And probably not with his boner making an appearance.

 

“I was right,” Sam pointed out.  “This is absolutely the worst wedding of all time.”

 

“Chin up, Sammykins.  Even if the whole thing is a complete clusterfuck, you’re still going to get laid tonight,” Gabriel said with a wink.  “I doubt Brady will be after  _ that _ whole disaster.”  Inwardly, Gabe winced. Of course he went right for the sex stuff.  He smiled thinly, trying not to let on that approximately one hundred percent of his blood was currently swirling around in his dick.  This was not about him—this was about Sam and what  _ he  _ needed. 

 

Which was why Gabriel’s jaw dropped when Sam leaned down and growled into his ear, “Damn straight I’m getting laid tonight.”  Gabe’s shock was even more complete when Sam’s palm cracked across the meat of his ass, making him actually  _ whimper _ .  Sam’s massive hand curled firmly around his wrist and began to tug him forward. “Get going, Novak,” came the hissed order. 

 

“Damn, kiddo!”  And god help him, Gabriel obeyed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As sexy as Archangel Ragey Gabriel is, it must also be noted that Sammy is NOT a damsel in distress.
> 
> I have no idea why Michael Jr is so freaking creepy.
> 
> Buford, Wyoming is the Smallest Town in America--population: 1

**Author's Note:**

> 🍭I am on Tumblr as crowley-loves-usuk if anyone feels the urge to follow or message me. I love talking to readers! 🍭


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